Volume 3 Chapter 7 Seedbed
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Do you think someone is training these goblins?” Lena muttered after a long pause, her eyes scanning the room.
I shook my head. “No, I doubt it. Like I said, goblins aren’t very smart. They usually rely on brute force and numbers, not strategy. I don’t think they’d listen to a human, either.”
Lena’s gaze drifted back to the scattered goblin corpses. “Still… they do use bows, and they set traps to lure enemies. That’s not typical goblin behavior.”
I nodded slowly. “True. But magic is the real mystery here. Goblins aren’t supposed to use it, especially not advanced spells like Fireball.”
She frowned. “That’s troubling.”
”If these goblins multiply and start attacking villages, it’ll be a disaster. We need to find the source—and fast.”
”The source? What do you mean?”
”There has to be a breeding ground somewhere in this cave. We have to strike it down.”
* * *
We continued deeper into the cave.
The place was clearly man-made—a dungeon, but a simple one. The layout wasn’t complex, mostly a straight path with a few rooms branching off. Yet, enemies lurked everywhere. Goblins hid in every corner, waiting patiently.
The last room we entered was especially dangerous. Shadows concealed the goblins until the door slammed shut behind us, and they attacked all at once. Such coordinated tactics were far beyond normal goblin instinct.
”The last one… Phew, we did it, Sir Soyuz!” Lena wiped blood off her dagger with a bright smile.
She had clearly grown used to fighting. But it wasn’t just fighting for her—it was like she was protecting me, serving her master. If I commanded her, I had no doubt she could even fight humans without hesitation. That was a dangerous thought on its own. A slave with no common sense but deadly skill, obeying everything I said.
But I pushed that aside. For now, this cave was our priority.
The dungeon itself was strange—too plain and functional for any race except humans. No decorative touches, no intricate details like elves or dwarves might add. Just a cold, dull tunnel with rooms. Somewhere in here, the goblin colony had taken root.
Had humans built this place? Abandoned it? And goblins simply moved in?
If this were just goblins, I would have believed that. But these goblins were different. Someone might have enhanced or trained them—maybe using some lost technology.
Lena might have been right. We couldn’t ignore this. If humans created these goblins, their purpose was definitely bad.
I needed to investigate thoroughly and report to the guild.
”Let’s keep going. Lena, can you still fight?”
”Of course, Sir Soyuz! Leave it to me!” she answered, full of energy.
Originally, I took this job to test her fighting skills. I expected a simple goblin extermination. But things were turning out more complicated. No matter, I just needed to finish this quickly.
We fought goblins in room after room until finally, we reached a heavy door at the deepest part.
”This must be the breeding room. Lena, wait here.”
”Why? Am I not useful, Sir Soyuz?” she asked, looking like a puppy left behind.
”You’ve helped a lot. But you shouldn’t come further. You might see something awful.”
”Something awful?”
”Yes.”
Goblins breed in a horrible way. They don’t reproduce like normal creatures. Instead, they inject their… seed… into females of other species to spawn new goblins. Sometimes wild animals, sometimes humans.
Human women are especially targeted. That’s why goblins raid villages—to kidnap women.
…The process is brutal. Women are forced to bear goblins. Many don’t survive mentally or physically.
I couldn’t let Lena see that.
”It’s okay, Sir Soyuz. I’ve seen terrible things before,” she said with a strange smile that was almost tears. “You’re kind to worry about me, but I am a lowly slave. I’ve seen people broken by this world—children kidnapped and sold because their bodies were useful. If there are people like that here… I want to help them.”
Her eyes glistened with tears, but her resolve was clear.
”Alright. Then let’s go.”
With her twin swords ready and darts in both hands, Lena followed me as I kicked open the door.
* * *
The room was lit by magical light.
Near the back wall, a small blonde girl was chained, limp and exhausted. A goblin was pressed against her, and around them, ten goblins turned their heads to us.
I threw eight darts, four from each hand.
”Go, Lena!”
Lena burst into the room, her movements fierce and precise.
This was our plan: I weaken the goblins with darts, she charges in to cut them down, and I finish off anyone left.
But this time, Lena fought with a new fire. Her hair bristled, her eyes wild—not just following orders but pouring out raw emotion.
She was no longer a puppet. She was fighting with her own will.
Seeing that made my skin crawl in both awe and fear. Years of slavery had forced her to obey, but now she was breaking free.
Still, I had to be careful she didn’t lose herself to battle frenzy.
Lena cut through the goblins like a storm, leaving none standing. I rushed forward, kicking the goblin attacking the girl, knocking it down, and slitting its throat. It died with a strangled, shocked cry.
Panting, Lena looked around, then dropped her daggers with a clatter.
”Ugh… ughh… waaaah!”
She began to cry loudly, unable to hold back the flood of emotions—anger, fear, hatred, maybe even relief.
I walked over and wrapped her in my arms.
”You did well, Lena,” I said softly, patting her back and stroking her hair.
She trembled, sobbing, “I’m scared… so scared.”
Clinging to me like a frightened child, she cried out.
I wanted to comfort her forever, but—
”Lena. There’s still work to do. We have to save her.”
At those words, Lena gasped and wiped her tears away, suddenly steady.
Notes:
• Lena – Female. A young slave girl in her early teens. Her appearance is emaciated with brown skin, long black hair, and grotesque scars across her face, including one that blinds her left eye. She wears a black collar and tattered clothing. Her relationship to the protagonist is that of a rescued victim. She is silent and appears to have endured severe physical and emotional abuse.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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