Killing Goblins, filling up with a meal, taking a clean bath... Although these actions brought her temporary satisfaction, after finishing, unbearable emptiness would resume its reign over her heart.
Are you supposed to embrace such emptiness and live on until the end of your life?
[Hero's next actions—]
2. Hurry back to the city in the cover of night♛
3. Look for a nearby village
9. Footsteps are heard...
10. Critical Success/Extreme Failure
"Let's go back in the cover of night."
The Hero ignored her inner feelings and made her next decision.
Almost a day has passed since she left the city, and the surrounding area of the city is within a distance that allows for a round trip within a day; if she returns now, she should arrive around midnight.
Moreover, although she's gotten almost used to this unembellished appearance, she needs to figure something out, as she can't just go back to the city directly .
Setting aside the gazes of others, the mere thought of possibly being discovered by her parents sends shivers down the Hero's spine.
Despite being ready to disregard even her own life, she still fears parental scolding...
Just like a close friend once said, the human spirit is indeed a very strange thing.
[Hero's next actions—]
1. Go to the Goblin Camp storage
3. Ask for help on the roadside
4. Transform into a snake and return through the sewer♛
5. Stop thinking, just go
10. Critical Success/Extreme Failure
Thanks to the blessings of the Night Goddess, the Hero covertly avoided the brightly lit roads, dodging occasional pedestrians, traversing through shrubs and the shadows of small paths, making it back near the city before dawn.
"This should be okay, right?"
She looked at the city's sewer outlet nervously.
The outlet was blocked by iron bars, not wide enough for an adult to pass through.
However, transforming into a snake, there was still a way to squeeze in.
It had been over sixty years since the last Arcane Surge approached the city, and though there were battles since, the city had generally been peaceful for decades.
The guards were not lax in their duty, but in such a long-standing tranquil city, there were bound to be some vulnerabilities.
The Hero stepped forward to inspect the outlet, not even flinching at the stench from the sewer.
The smell of Goblins was much more pungent, especially after crushing their insides.
But after battling Goblins and making shameless moves, now she had to crawl back home through the sewers...
Viscount's House's noble daughter... perhaps this identity isn't suitable for me.
A bitter smile appeared on the Hero's face.
Now it depends on my transformed self.
Lately, each transformation's memories were really vague; I hope there are no complications, absolutely none.
"Transform back near home... transform back near home..."
The Hero silently repeated this in her mind, imprinting the necessary actions into her body.
After reviewing the route one last time, she no longer hesitated, transformed into the Big Snake, and slipped into the city's underground passageway.
[Hero's Luck (3 or more successful return near home)]
Fortunately, when the Hero reopened her eyes as a human, she was already in the grassy area near her home.
Peering out from the bushes, she could see her family's fence, and not far away, a displaced manhole cover.
"Let's close it after putting on clothes," said the Hero as she looked away.
Although the history of Arcane Surge never ceased and the struggle between humankind and Magic Creatures never stopped, this city in the Kingdom was thriving and hadn't been attacked by Magic Creatures for over half a century.
Both the City Guard and Adventurer Guild regularly survey and clear the area around the city map, ensuring Magic Creatures do not overrun.
Hence, the corresponding city security could hardly be said to be very stringent.
While some cities' complex sewers become a paradise for Magic Creatures, even evolving into a mini Arcane Surge, such things seemingly wouldn't occur here.
Thus, the Big Snake encountered no mishaps and made it back near home through the sewers.
"Peace... huh." Even though she knew it was a good thing, the Hero couldn't help but utter a soft sigh.
Even in such peaceful times, tragedies like that of a close friend still occurred,
but they were mere exceedingly unfortunate accidents, unavoidable tragedies, not extraordinary news for this city.
Picnicking in the woods, faced with a Goblin, then taken away by them.
Where did the Goblin come from? Was it one missed during routine clearings, or did they rapidly multiply after the clearing?
Either scenario wouldn't be strange; that's how Magic Creatures are.
Thus, in summary, this was a simple matter, insignificant compared to the many disasters caused by Goblins in the past.
People would grieve, lament, show anger, and perhaps blame the City Defense Army or consider the victim too negligent...
But that would be all.
The Goblin Group in the suburban forest had been completely eradicated by the City Guard, and the victim, overwhelmed, ended their own life.
With this, the tragedy was concluded, no longer worthy of discussion.
Every day, Adventurers die; every day, people are killed by Magic Creatures.