TL Note: By the way thereâs a French Translation ongoing for this series by Exserra in case any of you guys know French. Hereâs the link: CLICK HERE
Change in terms: The church so far will be changed into West Church.
Goblin Name Cheat Sheet:
The [Goblin] is to make it easier to CTRL+F.
[Goblin] Gi Ga
The goblin in that estranged group that was with the protagonist when he defeated an orc. He is currently a noble class, the highest amongst the protagonistâs subordinates. He prefers to use the spear.
[Goblin] Gi Gu
[Goblin] Gi Gi
Known as a beast warrior, a goblin with the ability to tame beasts.
He evolved while hunting spear deer with the protagonist.
He prefers to use the axe. His goblin class is rare.
[Goblin] Gi Go
A goblin with many wounds on his body. The food of his horde was stolen by the gray wolves, so he made a decision to follow the protagonist. He is the most experienced amongst the goblin rares. His weapon is a curved katana. He acts like a samurai.
Recently became a noble, and received the divine protection of the Sword God, Ra Baruza.
[Goblin] Gi Za
The druid goblin rare that recently joined them.
[Goblin] Gi Ji
[Goblin] Gi Do
Druid. Uses wind magic.
[Goblin] Gi Jii
Goblin Rare. From Gi Guâs Faction. He is known for his <> which allows him to see his opponentâs weakness.
[Goblin] Gi Da
Goblin Rare. From Gi Gaâs faction. Notable skills are <> and <>.
[Goblin] Gi Zu.
Goblin Rare. The goblin favored by the Mad GodZu Oru. Has the <> skill.
[Goblin] Gi Zo
Druid. Water magician.
[Goblin] Gi De
Beast tamer.
Status
RaceGoblin
Level8
ClassLord; Horde Chief
Possessed SkillsRuler of the Horde; Insurgent Will; Overpowering Howl; Swordsmanship B+; Insatiable Desire; Kingâs Soul; Rulerâs Wisdom I; Eyes of the Blue Snake; Dance at Deathâs Border; Red Snakeâs Eye; Magic Manipulation; Soul of a Crazed Warrior; The Third Chant; Instinct; Rulerâs Wisdom II;
Leading the way through the maze-like forest was Gilmi.
âWe are called the goblins of the beginning,â quietly said Narsa who was beside me.
The solemnity of her voice was like that of an ancient miko.
âItâs said that we goblins were born from the Land of the Dead, from which we then came into this world.â
Is she talking about the Goddess of the UnderworldAltesia?
âThe deceased Deetna, our mother goddess, our sole foundation.â
Reminds me of the legend Reshia spoke about. In that legend, the gods wished for Deetnaâs return from the land of the dead. And she did, only⊠she came accompanied by monsters and magical beasts.
It seems the legend Reshia spoke of was also passed down to the monsters.
A coincidence?
âBut our god, Deetna, was defeated, and the one who came to rule the land of the dead was Altesia. It was through the mayhem reaped upon the world by her rampage and through her dreadful power that she conquered our land. And then she challenged the world of humans once more.â
And so the living and the dead fought once more, huh?
âBut again we lost. When she ran to this land, she left us but one command before leaving us behind⊠Protect the Fortress of the Abyss, she declared. Do so and your king shall be born.â
Just how much passion was there in those words that you would actually shake as you utter them? What lies in your deepest thoughts⊠Narsa?
âAnd when that day comes, we shall awaken, and we shall clash against the humans once more.â
Itâs a little different from the story Gilmi gave.
âAnd?â I asked.
This prologueâs too long. I just want to hear the conclusion.
âThe four tribes together protect that which is sacred. So in order to protect the Fortress of the Abyss, each of us received a treasure from the gatekeepers of the Land of the Dead.â
I heard shouts from the right flank, but I just left it to Gi Gu Verbena.
âThat treasure⊠is their objective,â said Narsa.
Shouts rose from the left flank, but the trees are blocking my vision⊠I have no choice but to trust in them.
âBut why only now?â I asked. âWasnât the war over 400 years ago?â
ââŠItâs because they canât wait anymore. So they thought to acquire the king with their own hands.â
Bitterness seemed to permeate Narsa.
At that moment, although they couldnât possibly have been simply waiting for those words to be uttered, the Gaidga goblins appeared.
âAcquire the king, huh?â
Like dolls without willâŠ
The king is me.
Someone who was only put in the position by others isnât a king.
âGi Za, Iâll leave it to you,â I ordered.
âNo problem,â fearlessly smiled the druid chief, Gi Za, as he charged from my side toward the fray. Following from behind him was a lump of magic-wielding goblins.
Under Gi Zaâs lead, colorless winds and blue water, attacked the Gaidga goblins.
Narsa only hung her head down without even wondering what I was thinking.
âExpel them quickly, and take back the Village of Ganra!â I commanded.
Regardless⊠whether it be those four treasures or the king you all desire⊠I will take everything back.
I looked at the goblins under my control.
âGilmi, search the surrounding area.â
âYes.â
The treetops are home to the Ganra goblins. Narsa seemed to be enduring something as she grasped her small fist tightly while watching the situation before her.
Like a human⊠huh?
I narrowed my eyes at her behavior. For better or for worse, dealing with humans might be better than dealing with goblins.
Then I looked at the bitter battlefield. There I could hear cheers sounding out in several places.
âFor the meantime, it seems that weâve achieved our objective,â I muttered.
Gilmi who was searching the surroundings from atop a tree went down to report.
âLooks like the Gaidga goblins have withdrawn,â he said.
I gave a large nod to the Ganra goblinsâ commotion.
âGet some food, and keep vigil watch of the surroundings⊠This much should be fine, right?â I said with a sharp, commanding gaze.
Narsa, seemingly unable to resist my gaze, reluctantly nodded her head.
âââ
If that atmosphere had to be expressed in a word, then the word âextravagantâ would best fit.
Polished marble upon which red carpet was lain, extending straight toward the deepest room toward the throne of the king.
In which tapestries knit by the most skilled of tailors over a period of several years were draped over the walls. In which a chandelier inlayed with jewels, lighting the place bright through magic stones hung from the ceiling. And in which beautiful stained glass unseen even in the West Church were affixed to the windows, allowing the light passing through to match with the men in the room, creating an atmosphere of reverie.
It was the throne room, in which the king met his guests. And sitting on that throne was an old man known to the neighboring countries as a majestic king.
Ashtal Do Gelmion. He is the master of the kingdom in the western side of the continent whose border stretches from the Forest of Darkness to the south.
On either side of the red carpet stood the cornerstones of this nation, the nobles, the bureaucrats, the soldiers, and the merchants. They stood there like walls, not letting out even the slightest tremor of a cough. In that room, only one thing prevailed, and that was none other than the dignity of the king.
âThe holy knights have arrived.â
Suddenly, within that strained atmosphere, like the sound of something snapping, those words echoed.
The king looked on at the door before him as it opened. And from it entered three men dressed in armor.
One was a man past middle-aged. With a face of sophisticated features, a straight back, and silver hair almost white, he gave off the image of a butler. However, the sharpness that lay within his gaze refuted any such notion of him being one. As he rubbed his moustache, his presence overawed the surroundings.
Another was a young man. His arrogant gaze swam left and right. His body was built like a rock, and was dressed in armor. His jaws seemed as if they could crush even steel, and in his ferocious blue eyes could be seen an ambition burning. Even his short-trimmed hair seemed to be facing the heavens, standing against it.
The last one was a long-haired man dressed in red armor. The beauty of his dazzling, long, golden hair made it easy to mistake him for a woman. His slender body had white, porcelain skin that seemed as if it hadnât once felt the touch of the sun. Although he looked like a woman, a sarcastic smile drifted up his lips as his narrow eyes looked down on the surrounding people.
âGowen Ranid, Gulland Rifenin, and Gene Marlon has arrived to answer to the kingâs call.â
As the middle-aged man knelt before the king, the other two followed.
The king raised his arm that was like a dead tree, and he signaled for them to relax.
âWhat does the king require of us?â
The holy knights are the kingdomâs greatest military asset. For three out of seven to be summoned to the king⊠they knew very well just how urgent the matter at hand was.
From the south to the southwest is the Forest of Darkness. In the north is the mountain range of the God of SnowYggrasil. In the east is the Holy Shushunu Kingdom. And in the south-east is the Lordsâ Alliance. For this country who is surrounded by all those, it prizes strength the most. And the ones to have reached the apex of that pursued strength are the seven holy knights.
âA request came from the West Church,â said the king.
Upon hearing that, Gowen, who was still kneeling, immediately understood the details of their task.
âFind the saint,â said the king in a low voice.
Each of the three assented through the expressions on their faces.
âBring her back alive at all costs,â commanded the king.
âBy your will!â replied the three holy knights.
Satisfied, the king dismissed them.
âReshia Fel Zeal, Zenobiaâs saint, was it?⊠Just what on earth are those people from the church thinking, I wonder?â
This is a secret, but the Ivory Tower actually pressured this kingdom.
The Ivory Tower is overflowing with exceptional magicians and bureaucrats. So even though this kingdom has a number of exceptional people under its employ, it doesnât dare sneer at the Ivory Towerâs strength.
Yet that Ivory Tower and the West Church itself requested for a search to be done for the sake of but one girl.
A fortuitous, yet at the same time, worrying existence.
If sheâs alive, then find her, and bring her back.
As a flame blazed within Ashtalâs sunken eyes, he smiled.
âââ
âI wonder what our king is planning,â asked Gene as he walked while playing with his long hair.
Having being dismissed from the presence of the king, he neither bothered to control his frivolous lips, nor did he bother to hide the twisted impression he gave off as a sarcastic smile rose upon his lips.
âYou donât really care though, right? In any case, how about we start by looking for some prey in the forest? Itâs been a while since Iâve had the pleasure of hunting after all,â ferociously laughed the man who was known as Gulland.
As a knight with great stature who is also known as the Storm Knight, there is no one superior to him when it comes to handling a great sword.
âWhat do you think, gramps?â asked Gene with a smile to the older knight that was walking in front of them.
Gowen, the oldest amongst the holy knights, and the one that supposedly had the most achievements amongst them.
ââŠThe Ivory Tower and the Church obviously pressured him into it,â said Gowen as he looked at the two behind him.
That gaze he sent them⊠he didnât look at them with sober eyes, no. Rather he looked at them with a gaze that could be said to be extremely cold. It was a freezing gaze that seemed to be looking down on something utterly worthless.
Geneâs smile twitched.
âAs expected of the Strong-Armed Knight, your eyes are amazing. In fact, your gaze doesnât even feel human anymore,â said Gene as he looked at Gowen with ridiculing eyes.
If one were to take a closer look, then it could be seen that Gowenâs left hand was actually a boorish, metal arm.
As Gowen stopped walking, Gene also stopped, and he took some distance.
âYou want to try, gramps? My Fifire is fast, you know?â said Gene as he lightly placed his hands on the thin sword by his waist.
His movements were natural, and frighteningly enough, there were no openings in his movements. He was always ready. Ready for any prey that might come attack him.
âWe should stop. Thereâs nothing interesting in fighting amongst ourselves even if Gulland finds it amusing,â expressionlessly said Gowen as he sent his gaze to the tall, brawny man.
âWhat, so youâre not doing it? And here I thought Iâd be able to kill the wounded one,â laughed Gulland in a low tone as Gene shrugged his shoulders.
âYouâre just no good at judging character,â said Gene.
As he heard those words, Gowen began walking again. Gene and Gulland glanced at each other once, and then they too began to walk.
Fighting here would only bring them harm.
If theyâre going to fight, then they might as well fight from the start, and win. The both of them were also well aware that this was the wisest course of action.
âThe captive princess, Reshia Fel Zeal, was it? For the meantime, why donât we go and rescue her?â
As Gene lightly said that, the other two ambiguously nodded.
Authorâs Note:
I changed the perspective a bit, and put in a story from the human kingdom.