10 Years After – 113
The Ruin Raiding Goblins
After flying for a while, Kathe said,
“I can see it now.”
“It’s very quick when you fly.”
“Of course it is!”
It really felt like we had barely been flying at all.
But it would have been over an hour on foot.
Dragons were very fast.
Kathe landed lightly on the ground.
And so we got off of the dragon’s back and onto the ground as well.
“It is over there.”
“Where?”
Kathe stood behind me but our faces were now aligned.
They were aligned, but the dragon’s head was about as tall as I was.
So Kathe’s jaw was touching the ground.
I suppose it was so our eyes would be level.
“Can you see it, Locke? There is a cave over there.”
“Hmm. I can see it. So that’s the ruin that is overrun by goblins?”
“That is right. These goblins are so bold!”
Kathe was breathing hoarsely.
And since we were very close, it was very loud.
When I inspected the entrance to the ruins, I could see that there were two goblins.
“Yes, there are goblins.”
“See? I thought they were goblins as well. But I wanted to make sure that they weren’t actually humans.”
Kathe was not confident on this issue of telling us apart.
After all, Kathe had mistaken us for goblins the last time.
“So that’s why you called me?”
“Yes, that is why.”
Kathe said smugly.
“I came here because the intruder detection spell was triggered. And then I saw these goblin-like creatures and was about to burn them away…”
“But then you remembered our promise?”
“Exactly! Exactly right.”
“Thank you for keeping it.”
“Gahahahaha! I happen to have a strong sense of duty!”
I called over Nia and Grulf.
Grulf had calmed down considerably. But he was still shaking.
“Grulf, are you alright?”
“Grr.”
Still, there was little cheerfulness in his voice.
But he was still a pup, after all.
“Nia. Can you see it?”
“Yes. I can see. There are two goblins.”
Nia was calm now.
She wasn’t shaking or clamping her tail between her legs.
Perhaps riding the dragon had helped her become accustomed to it.
It was only a moment ago that she had been on top of the gigantic Kathe while also being up high and moving at a great speed.
So being on the ground again was nothing.
“Nia. How many goblins do you think are in that ruin?”
“Let me see…”
Nia began to think hard.
I decided to quietly wait until she was finished.
Kathe looked on as if this was most amusing.
“It’s too far to say for sure…but I can see two watchers.”
“And?”
“The fact that there are watchers suggests there might be a leader, such as a hob goblin or goblin magician…”
“Hmmm.”
Koko wa Ore ni Makasete Saki ni Ike to Itte kara 10 Nen ga Tattara Densetsu ni Natteita
