"Now, where were we?" I said, my lips curling into a lazy smile as I closed my eyes in mock nonchalance."Oh, that's right. Why don't you girls forget about what you saw here, hm?"
The group of adventurers shivered. They knew—oh, they *knew*—that they had been entirely at my mercy just moments ago.
"Uh, yeah, that's not happening," Rea, the one with fiery red hair, said with a smirk. She held up a silver pendant with a ruby center. "See this badge? It records everything an adventurer sees. The Guild can extract the information if they have enough preparation time."
I maintained my smile, though inside, a stream of curses flowed like a raging river. Of course, they'd have something like that.
"And if the information's accurate," added Io, the human mage, flicking her dark hair over her shoulder, "then we suspect it's you guys who caused all the trouble."
"And according to the Guild," Jin, the party's tank and self-appointed voice of authority, said with a stern glare, "a group of adventurers disappeared while clearing out a goblin hideout. One of them was the daughter of a duke, no less. Surprising he hasn't sent his personal army in yet."
"A duke's daughter?" I murmured, tilting my head. The words tickled at a memory, and then—
"Oh, right! Her!" I exclaimed, snapping my fingers.
"You mean it really was you guys?" Levy, the elf ranger with green hair, asked, her head tilting in sync with her long ears.
I scoffed. "No, we're not that stupid. Let me explain. It happened about a month ago, right before you last came here..."
Time for a flashback!
---
*A Month Ago*
It all started one fateful day as I was prepping for the scouting mission towards the west that day. My focus was entirely on the task at hand until Gorn, one of the goblins, came running toward me, his voice a mix of panic and urgency.
"Boss!" he yelled. "There's a human party on the way here!"
"Humans?" I arched a brow. "What do they want?"
Gorn's face contorted in panic. "I dunno! Maybe to kill us? They do that!"
I got alarmed but was trying not to show it, I grabbed Gorn and Tink, the resident tinkerer, and headed out to investigate. As usual, I planned to leave Scar to oversee the other goblins. Someone had to keep them from devolving into chaos while I was gone.
I sighed, grabbing my staff. "Fine. Gorn, Tink, with me. Scar, you're in charge."
"AGAIN?!" Scar bellowed.
"Yes, again," I replied, waving dismissively. "Try not to eat anyone while I'm gone."
Gorn led us to the southeastern part of the forest, pointing toward what looked like another goblin hideout.
"There," he whispered, crouching low.
I followed his gaze and spotted the human party. It consisted of four individuals, and among them was a young woman who stood out like a beacon.
Her mana was unlike anything I'd seen before. Her mana, I noted, was smoother, more agile, and intensely vibrant compared to the chaotic lumps of dark energy that often clogged in the bodies of male mages. Her mana flowed freely, radiating a purity that was almost mesmerizing.
But that wasn't what held my attention.
Behind her, cowering, was a small goblin—a child, no older than a few weeks old in goblin years.
The woman stood protectively in front of it, her hands raised in a defensive posture.
"No fighting yet," I whispered, gesturing for Gorn and Tink to stay hidden. I crouched closer, straining to hear their conversation.
"Let's go back!" the woman urged, her voice carrying through the forest. "I don't think this is the hideout we were supposed to clear. We probably took a wrong turn somewhere."
The man she was speaking to, clearly the leader, scowled in response. "We don't have time for this! They're all the same. Why should we care which goblins we kill? So long as we get the job done, nobody's going to complain. Besides, they're monsters! Killing even one of them does more good in this world than not!"
I scoffed lightly. Sure, monsters weren't saints, but humans were hardly one either. If anything, they could be far worse. At least devils and demons had the decency to spare a few lives out of twisted amusement or pity. Humans? They killed indiscriminately—even their own flesh and blood since ancient time.
Besides, I'm taller now what's not to like? (*^▽^*)
That thought lingered bitterly as I watched the woman confront her companion.
"Not this one," she said firmly, gesturing to the small goblin behind her. "Look at it. It's terrified! It hasn't attacked anyone. We're not killing it!"
The man sneered. "You're letting your emotions get in the way. Monsters don't deserve mercy."
"They deserve a chance!" she shot back, her voice rising with passion.
I watched in silence, torn between stepping in and letting this play out. Eventually, the leader growled in frustration, turning to the others in his party.
"Fine. If he wants to play protector, let him. Let's move out," he snapped, motioning for the others to follow.
The woman stayed behind, crouching to comfort the goblin child.
After a moment, she looked up, her eyes scanning the forest as if sensing we were there. For a brief second, our gazes met through the thick foliage.
She didn't say anything, but I felt a flicker of understanding pass between us.
I watched as she left the goblin, who by the way we took in and named "Squeeky"
I wonder where the people in Squeeky's village went to?
---
*Back to the Present*
"...And that's what happened," I concluded with a shrug.
The adventurers stared at me, their expressions ranging from skeptical to thoughtful.
"So, you just... let them go?" Rea asked, her brow furrowing.
"Of course," I replied. "Do I look like someone who'd start unnecessary fights? The woman was protecting a child. Who am I to interfere?"
"That doesn't explain why you remember her so vividly," Io said, narrowing her eyes. "There's more to this, isn't there?"
I hesitated. The truth was, there was more to the story. That woman's mana had left an impression on me—a feeling of familiarity, though I couldn't place it. But for now, I wasn't about to share that detail.
"Believe what you want," I said, smirking. "But if I were you, I'd focus on clearing your own names before accusing others."
Rea sighed, pocketing her pendant. "Fine. But don't think we'll just drop this."
"Wouldn't dream of it," I replied smoothly.
As they turned to leave the house, I felt a pang of curiosity tugging at me.
Who was she? And why did she feel so... familiar?
One thing was certain—our paths would cross again.
And next time, I'd get my answers.
Little Theater:
Clone #3: *Whispering* "Boss, do you think they bought your story?"
Me: *Whispers back* "Of course. I'm an expert at bluffing."
Clone #5: *Eyes suspiciously* "Then why is your nose growing like that pinocchio we made for fun?"