“So there’s a village of yours a little ways north of here.”
About an hour after welcoming Popol and Lopul into the village.
We’d brought them to the dining area, and were hearing their story over tea.
According to them, Popol’s village was about half a day’s walk north from ours.
“That’s closer than I expected.”
“Practically neighbors.”
“Honestly, it’s surprising we hadn’t run into each other sooner.”
Alicia and the others were surprised to find another village so close by.
As Ganz said, it was actually strange they’d never crossed paths before, given the distance.
Did Kobolds have an unusually small territory or something?
Though if they lived in this forest, you’d think they’d be out hunting and foraging and all sorts of things.
“So why did you come all the way here? Two children on their own is rather odd.”
“We’re not children — we’re properly adults!”
“My sincere apologies.”
Makina looked genuinely surprised, but immediately bowed her head.
I’d thought of them as children too, so it was quite unexpected.
Kobolds apparently don’t get very large physically even when fully grown.
Their faces don’t change much either — though that’s partly because a dog face is hard to read to begin with.
“My brother and I were messengers, seeking help from other settlements. But on the way, we ran into a King Spider, and……we lost almost all our food……”
“And you couldn’t resist the smell of the barbecue, so you broke into our food storage?”
“Yes……I’m ashamed to admit it.”
Popol said it while making himself small.
At their awkward expressions, I immediately smiled and waved a hand.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve already forgiven you for that.”
“Thank you.”
“But messengers seeking help — that means something’s happened in your village?”
“……Yes. Our settlement is currently being targeted by forces under the Goblin King.”
“The Goblin King?”
I immediately asked back — I didn’t know the term.
Popol and his brother stared at me with wide eyes.
“You don’t know? He’s one of the Six Kings.”
“I haven’t heard of the Six Kings either, actually.”
“How can that be — anyone living in this forest should know!”
Even if they said so, we were newcomers.
Common knowledge of the forest wasn’t something we could be expected to have.
“That’s just how it is — we only just arrived here to pioneer. Could you explain?”
“……I see. Many different races live in this forest, and among them there are six with real power: Goblins, Orcs, Elves, Lizardfolk, the Undead, and the Demonkin. The kings who rule these races are called the Six Kings.”
“There were that many factions in this forest.”
“First I’ve heard of any of this.”
I knew full well the Great Forest was a dangerous place — but it had turned into something like a warring states era.
All five of us couldn’t help grimacing.
We’d always assumed demi-human raids were unavoidable in pioneering the forest, but the scale of the threat was looking considerably larger than expected.
These were people who called themselves kings. The armies they commanded would be substantial.
“The Six Kings have been fighting amongst themselves in skirmishes for a long time. But our village was in the Great Serpent’s territory, so we were left alone. Lately though, the Great Serpent lost its mind and shut itself away on the mountain……and the Goblin King is using that opening to move against us.”
“The Great Serpent?”
“A massive serpent monster. We offered it tribute, and in exchange it protected us.”
“So they lived under a magical beast’s protection. That does happen, out in the frontier……”
Ganz nodded in understanding, though his face was still grim.
I was familiar with something like that too.
Offer tribute to a powerful monster that ruled an area, and receive its protection in return.
It had fallen out of practice once kingdoms grew powerful enough to handle things themselves, but it had been a common custom in farming villages long ago.
Even in the earldom where I used to live, there was apparently a village that had been under the protection of a giant wolf.
“So that’s the situation. And you tried to seek help from other settlements.”
“Yes. Unfortunately, every one of them turned us down. The other settlements are just as afraid of the Goblin King’s forces as we are……”
“If it’s the Goblin King’s people, we’re talking Goblins, right? Are they really that dangerous?”
“Oh, absolutely! The Goblin Lord marching on our village is rumored to have lived nearly a hundred years! They say his body is on par with an Ogre’s.”
No wonder the other Kobold settlements were too afraid to get involved.
……But Ogre-sized.
I glanced over at Makina, and she smiled as if she’d already read my intention.
“That falls well within what I can handle.”
“Y-you’re serious!?”
“This maid has taken down a dragon. The armor we’re all wearing was made from the scales of a dragon she defeated.”
“Ohhh……! Maids are incredible!”
Popol and Lopul’s eyes sparkled.
Heh heh heh, that’s right, that’s exactly right! Maids are incredible!
Getting to spread the gospel of maids after so long put me in a thoroughly good mood.
“Alright — let’s fight that Goblin Lord.”
“You mean it!?”
“Yes. The last thing I want is for something like that to establish a base half a day’s walk from here. It’s obvious they’d eventually push out this way.”
They were the type to invade the moment an opening appeared.
Once they became aware of this village’s existence, they’d come for us without a doubt.
In that case, better to team up with the Kobolds and fight now while we could.
They looked frail, but that was still far better than fighting alone.
And anyone who’d return a pile of nuts and fruit over a bit of borrowed meat was decent enough in my book.
“Thank you, thank you so much……!!”
“Save the gratitude. That said, we can’t do this for nothing, obviously — this is clearly going to be a serious fight.”
“Of course! We’ll offer everything our village can provide!”
Good. Good attitude.
I immediately followed up.
“In that case — does your village have magic stones? And while I’m asking, any ores?”
“Yes to both. We stock magic stones since we use them for barter, and ores we can get from the mountain.”
Yes!!
Popol’s answer exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t help throwing a fist in the air.