The dwarf came on foot. We inquired if he didn't have a mount.

「Yusdrolir: Huhh... I kinda gambled it away *hic* no worries! I'll run!」

Said the dwarf with a laugh.

And run he did. Man, dwarves sure have stamina. He kept up with our pace without skipping a beat.

Later, we reached the previous clearing and set camp for the night.

The dwarf drank and sang in a drunken stupor, making our ear suffer until he passed out.

We were about to go to sleep when the snoring dwarf woke from his alcoholic coma and grumbled something.

「Yusdrolir: OY! I shumm...*burp* ehn」

Vargas, who was sitting next to me by the campfire, gave me a look and said.

「Vargas: What did he say?」

I rose and walked closer to Yusdrolir. The smell of alcohol burned my nostrils.

「Allen: What is it?」

「Yusdrolir: I shmell... goo*hic*sheeen.」

Rambled the drunken dwarf.

Puzzled, I turned back to Vargas and relayed.

「Allen: He said he smells... goshen?」

I said while moving my hands for a shrug. Suddenly, my left hand hurt like crazy!

「Allen: Gaahhh!」

I took a shocked look. There was a fucking arrow lodged in my fucking hand!

「Allen: Fuck! Shit! What the fuck!」

Vargas rolled on his back in panic, that arrow had been aimed at him. The two bodyguards and my friends sprang up unsheathing their weapons.

「Grastel: GOBLINS!」

I looked back to see a rushing group of green-skinned creatures with long ears. They screeched and launched an assault.

They were equipped with makeshift clubs and bows and they were closing in, fast!

I grabbed the closest weapon I found. A pan.

My left arm was spasming with pain. I don't know why but the pain just makes me angry, very angry. I don't know if it's thanks to corporate stress, some Nordic ancestor or something wrong with my brain. But I was very fucking pissed at that moment.

I processed my pain turning it into swearing and anger. Yusdrolir shot up and grappled one of the goblins, but another was coming at him from behind, with a crude dagger in hand.

「Allen: God damn! Green skinned leprosy ridden little shits!」

I moved quickly and slammed my pan on the goblin's face with all my fucking might.

The goblin's skull caved halfway in and collapsed dead, I shouted a roar. I was fucking pumped with adrenaline and anger.

Two more came from the right, I swung the pan again. The first ducked avoiding the blow, I slammed the second away, but another one behind them jumped me.

I fell backward using the pan as a shield. When I hit the ground, another spike of pain rose from my injured hand.

「Allen: Graaah!!」

I kicked away the goblin further behind, but the one that jumped me was holding firmly, and with only one arm all I could do was bat away its dagger. Fuck, fuck!

An ax swung over me, severing the goblin's head. I rolled away to avoid another goblin then slammed my pan on its face again and again until it stopped moving.

「Allen: Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!」

「Ellin: Allen! Here!」

Battleground awareness! Battleground awareness!

I saw the others trying to form a circle around the merchant and I stumbled toward them.

Namrick had an arrow on his left shoulder but was keeping the little bastards away. Ellin was healing him with her magic.

Grastel was trying to shot down the goblin archers, while the bodyguards did their best to defend and attack.

「Vargas: Gahhh... kill them! Kiiiill theeem!」

Vargas was curled, up trembling, and screeching incoherent commands.

I took my position among them. While I did so, a goblin avoided Grastel's arrow and rushed at me with a spiky wooden spear. I kicked his groin and slammed my pan over its head so hard the handle broke.

「Allen: Guh...」

My leg gave away, only now I noticed another arrow sticking from it. When did that even happen? I felt strength leaving my shaking limbs. I lost consciousness the moment I touched the ground.

Allen skullsmasher. Hero of the mighty pan.

「Allen: Gwah!」

I jerked awake.

Around us, there were at least twenty goblin corpses. Ellin was still administering her healing magic on the injured. Everyone was dirty and sweated.

I looked at my left hand, healed without a scar. Bless you, Ellin.

Grastel noticed I had regained my senses.

「Grastel: Allen! Are you fine?」

「Allen: Huh, I think so...」

I tried standing, but that was a mistake. Pain pierced my senses from all over. I grunted in pain.

On second thought, the ground is good.

「Ellin: Wait! I haven't finished healing you!」

Grastel was patrolling the area while we recovered.

「Namrick: This is strange, we scouted the area beforehand. There weren't any goblin nests in the proximity... we'll have to notify the guild about it. I have a bad feeling about this.」

According to Namrick, goblins are weak individually, but they're clever and attack in groups, making them more dangerous even than some of the stronger monsters. So their threat is taken seriously.

They also use poisonous substances on their weapons, which explains why I lost consciousness and I hurt everywhere.

「Allen: Why didn't you tell me there could have been monsters? I would have brought my equipment.」

「Namrick: You don't understand. Goblins don't travel far from their nest. Something must have driven them this way.」

I grumbled in reply. We just need a cook, Allen. All is gonna be fine, Allen. Oh... whoops, a goblin raid.

I flexed my left hand a couple of times to shake off the memory of the painful arrow. That fucking hurt.

Vargas was silent, staring fearfully at the darkness.

We decided to move away from this location, the danger was too high. We couldn't wake the snoring dwarf so we had to load him on the caravan. Sadly for our nostrils.

We kept going until dusk when we stopped to rest a little.

After the attack Vargas didn't feel like talking about food anymore. We traveled the rest of the road without further surprises.

Upon reaching Valarest, Vargas took a sigh of relief.

「Yusdrolir: Gah hahaha, finally! I'll be off to the closest tavern. See ya guys!」

Said the dwarf, walking away with his crate of alcohols.

Vargas climbed down from the caravan, with a renewed smile upon his face.

「Vargas: It is done... I have to thank you all for the hard work, so I'll give you a little extra.」

Vargas opened his purse and began distributing our salary.

I got 15 gold coins instead of 10. Magic... soon.

「Vargas: Allen, it has been a pleasure traveling with you. I'll try to get back in touch, for that recipe, once I free myself from my duties.」

Then he looked back at the trio.

「Vargas: As expected from the Val Arinn family, your healing magics are top grade, young lady, and your friends more than capable.」

They bowed politely.

Vargas looked at the distance.

「Vargas: That dwarf... he drinks too much.」

Yeah, exactly my thoughts. But who knows how it would've turned out if he hadn't been there. He did fight well, despite the drunkenness.

Vargas waved goodbye and carried on with his two bodyguards.

We went back to the adventurer's guild, where Namrick reported the goblin attack. Out of curiosity, I tried reading some of the postings on the billboard. Yep, they still look like chicken scratchings to me. I need more lessons.