Chapter 5 – Ideal and Reality
The fur covered fingers held the string and tested it with a light pull. He felt the bow curve in his left hand, and then Sheto nodded. If it was too tight, the bow would break, but if it was too loose, then it would have little force.
While it was just temporary, his newly made bow seemed like it would work well. He wished that he could spend another day on it, but he could do that as he hunted.
Preparations for the journey were surprisingly simple. He had some things stored in a hidden house in the mountains—preserved food such as drive fish and grapes, wood for arrows—all of it was still there.
Sheto carried the sack on his back and attached the bow to his belt as he started to walk.
It had been ten years since they came to this land between the mountains. And life had not been easy.
Still, it had been peaceful, and they were happy.
One path along the riverbank. He had passed it numerous times with his friends, and so no grass grew there.
But today would be the last time. Not he, or his friends would ever pass through again.
The small monster continued to walk.
Without turning back once.
“Hey, Salia.”
‘…I’ve said it many times already,’
Around the village, there was a dense forest with many mountains. The place he was walking through now, was a place he had rarely been in.
‘I am still a goddess, you know? And yet you speak casually as if I was a neighbor.’
“You. Said to ask if I have a question. What’s the problem?”
As the village was quite far from any settlement, the chances of being exterminated were quite low. But they had to live while fighting against other wild creatures.
On the other hand, being surrounded by them also meant that their own traces were hidden from human eyes. That was why they were able to build a small village.
‘It’s not a problem, but… You speak in such an unsophisticated way.’
“I, don’t speak like human. Words…are difficult.”
‘…So?’
He used his sword to cut away the grass as he looked around. Sheto was especially careful of trees with thick trunks. If there were traces of claws or fur being pressed against them, it meant that this was some animal’s territory.
‘And now you are ignoring me. You have some nerve.’
“Sorry. Was looking around.”
‘There are no wolves or bears here. At least, not within two hundred steps.’
“…You, can tell?”
‘I can see quite a distance around you. And so you can count on me when it comes to scouting.’
She declared in a rather happy voice. His eyes then went down to a young tree. He saw a dropping on a dead leaf, and let out a sigh.
“I understand. Will not count on you.”
‘Why is that!?’
“Deer dropping over there. Not long ago. It passed around sunrise.”
‘Oh… Oh!?’
While he was preparing to leave the village, Sheto had several conversations like this with the goddess.
However, every time, he ended up feeling more anxious.
‘…I’m sorry… I must have missed it…’
“It’s fine. I will keep watch. More importantly, I want to ask something.”
‘Wh-what?’
“Right now. How ‘strong’ am I?”
After bringing him back to life, the goddess seemed to be very considerate of him.
She would keep her silence unless he wanted to talk to her, and was surprisingly kind.
However, he was still worried about how capable she was.
“You, said Heroes are strong because they use ‘god vessel.’.”
‘Uh…um. Yes.’
“You have nothing like that?”
‘So…sorry! All the God Vessels are for humans. There weren’t any for kobolds!’
“Gods. Cannot do anything?”
‘It takes a lot of time and effort to create a God Vessel! We-well, I shall make one for you eventually. When the time comes!’
Indeed, this goddess had brought him back to life.
But the more he talked to her, the less certain he felt.
“So, how strong?”
‘Strong?’
“Am I stronger than a normal kobold?”
‘Ah…uh… Um… You see, there are rules with the game, alright?’
“I heard. Everyone has levels. It is 1 in the start. Me too.”
The goddess had said it. In order to raise this ‘level,’ you had to defeat enemies for points.
“But, Heroes. From the beginning, they had strange powers, such as the god vessel and magic.”
‘Of course, you have it too! You do!’
“…Really?”
‘Aye! Do you really think that I would send you out to fight, without giving you any kind of power!’
Sheto was a little scared to ask about what it was. And so he silently looked up at the sky.
‘Fi-first, your body. There is a protection against one magic and weapon attack.’
“Like the Hero?”
He recalled the protections of that blue armor. An invisible wall that completely blocked attacks. If he had such a thing, he would be able to fight.
‘…Well, that is the effect of the god vessel. In any case, you won’t die suddenly from an attack anymore…I think.’
“That, seems a little pointless.”
‘Next! Due to my protection on your body, wounds will heal more easily.’
“How much?”
‘Well, if it is just a scratch, then one hour.’
He had heard rumors of healing magic. How they healed wounds in the blink of an eye. Compared to that, this was not very reliable.
“What else?”
‘Along with the protection, you will not tire as easily. Even if you run all night, if you rest a little, you will be able to move just fine.’
“This, actually sounds useful.”
‘Fool! It is the next ability that is the important one! Now, take out your bow and nock an arrow.’
She sounded very confident, and so Sheto did as she said. Just then, the sharpened wood of the arrow began to glow.
“Ohh!?”
‘Hehe. Surprised? My protection has raised the power of your weapons. Now, you will be able to deal damage to magic barriers and enchanted armor.’
“Amazing! Could this pierce through the Hero’s wall!?”
‘…No, it is not powerful enough to pierce the god vessel. However, it will be possible if you raise your level!’
“So, what is the next one?”
‘………………………………..next?’
She fell silent at this question.
“So, there is nothing else?”
‘F-fool! Do you think I could give more to someone who is only Level 1!’
“But only two were useful.”
‘You just need to level up! Now, stop complaining and continue on!’
“…You, stingy.”
‘Stingy! I am stingy! If you had any idea what I… Hey, are you listening to me!?’
Thank you again.