She’s trouble! Was the first thing Yuusha thought when he spotted the blonde girl on the other side of the bridge.

Yuusha was too far away to see every detail but even from such a distance, he saw that the girl’s blue dress was too fancy. All kinds of lines and belts. Embroidered gloves that ended above her elbows. A black choker adorned by a purple ribbon. Her collarbone and shoulders were covered by a separate part of the dress. The second part of the dress started low-cut, from her already decently sized breasts for her apparent age, which couldn’t be more than fifteen, revealing quite a tantalizing view of her cleavage.

Yuusha couldn’t tell at which point the boots flowed into the over knee socks or if those were simply over knee boots, but either way, the most important part was that, combined with a cut-up miniskirt, they revealed just right amount of bare skin to create the perfect absolute territory. The miniskirt consisted of different pieces of cloth, connected by a belt at the lower part revealing even more flesh at her thighs while, somehow, avoiding showing the girl’s panties. The miniskirt was probably combined with the rest of the dress, though the connection was hidden by a wide, slightly hanging belt from which another layer of the dress flowed, forming formed a knee-high skirt, open at the front so that not a single millimeter of the girl’s long, thin, beautiful legs would be hidden.

I must get her in my bed- I mean on my side! Was the second thought Yuusha got after he was done analyzing the girl’s body. How much time had passed since Yuusha started starting? Two seconds? Two minutes? Probably not two minutes, because that would’ve been too awkward. There is no way she is a simple villager! In fact, she doesn’t look like she belongs here at all!

To start with, for all intents and purposes this was supposed to be a starting area. At least that’s how these stories and RPG's usually start out! And all the signs are there – green fields, random no-name farmers, newbie soldiers, goblin enemies. The only outliers so far are the hobgoblins that are plowing through this area as if they’re using hacks!

And now there is another outlier. This girl looks out of place here. And there is no way that’s some starting equipment! Yuusha kept looking at the girl, but she hardly moved at all. There is clearly some sort of level system in this world. But the "stats" command has only worked on items so far and not living beings. I need to find a way to measure everybody's power levels! And the sooner the better!

The girl pressed her staff against the ground and leaned on it slightly, holding the staff with both hands. The staff was slightly longer than the girl herself – the top of the staff had a rough shape, slightly resembling a crescent moon with some kind of a water drop shaped crystal in the center.

Yuusha did nothing, the girl did nothing. She must realize I’m not an ally, right? In such a small town they must know each other by name. And this side of the town is already deserted. So, she’s content with just standing there? Blocking the way? But is there really no other way to cross? The current in the river is not that strong. Even though I’m no swimming champion by any means, even I could cross it with no problems.

“My Lord!” Yuusha heard a familiar gravelly voice coming from behind. He turned around and saw Sizarbob and his entourage. The hobgoblin ran up to Yuusha and stopped next to him, also noticing the girl on the other side of the bridge. “Ah, so this is reason for you leaving? You felt presence of enemy mage from such great distance? Your sensory powers impress!”

Oh, no! Yuusha felt something alright. He felt his heart sink and feet grow cold. That feeling of your entire body slowly turning hollow, as if leaking through the feet. Please don’t say it!

“If you sense human girl presence from far away, she have great spirit! Or your sensory powers even greater than I imagined? Can you sense all humans in town?” Sizarbob continued his baseless assumptions. “ And this tiny human dares block our path? I understand - you went ahead to duel human girl.”

No! I did not! Now let me think about how to get out of this new mess!

“What other reason to split away from goblin party in middle of holy ritual? This girl of great enough importance to require your immediate presence! And not attacking the instant enemy is seen? Measuring strength, no doubt! Ah! You already in spiritual battle against human mage? I am humbly sorry for disturbing!” The hobgoblin bowed and took two steps away.

Holy hell, man! Way too many assumptions over here! Yes! Sure! Fine! I’m in a spiritual battle a very young, very pretty wizard! Now, don’t disturb my concentration! Yuusha gestured Sizarbob to stay back.

What if I just walk up to her? Will she kill me on sight? Probably. I still don’t know how exactly I’m “marked” as a demon ally. Maybe the mark is only visible to the goblins? But by now it’s pointless anyway - not only did I come from the direction of goblin attack, but there they are, standing behind me, not attacking me, even talking to me with some weird, borderline creepy admiration. And unless she speaks fluent Evil, we wouldn’t be able to talk anyway!

Wait, what if we all just march in her direction? Maybe she’s all show and will run away the second we approach her? There’s a chance that she’s just as delusional as those archers were back there and doesn't actually hold a candle to the hobgoblin's power? I mean look at her – she looks like she’s about to fall over on that staff of hers! And she’s completely outnumbered! But am I willing to bet my life on that guess? I wonder how long I could hold my breath? What I get closer and pretend to slip and fall into the river? Maybe I could swim away underwater unnoticed- Yeah, right!

“Sidzarboz! Sidzarboz!” another gravely voice shouted from behind. Yuusha turned around and saw Sizarbob’s brother and his forty goblins approaching fast.

“Sorzak?” by the tone of the voice Yuusha could tell Sizarbob was clearly not happy. “Why are you not north, surrounding town?”

“We could not swim!” Sorzak answered between catching his breath.

He must’ve been really sprinting all the way here if even he got winded! Yuusha thought.

“The human town people threw their waste down the river! It’s disgusting!”

Pardon?

“What?” Sizarbob seemed enraged. “They pollute river that feeds them and many other towns and villages? Are you certain?

"Yes! Without a shadow of a doubt! One of the goblins swears he actually saw a pair of old underwear floating down the river!"

"Savages! How dare humans corrupt nature!?”

I actually don’t believe this, Yuusha thought and made sure to close his mouth that dropped open hearing this new revelation.

“Oh, Great Shamans!” a little goblin with rabbit teeth screamed in horror, pulled out a scroll and unfolded it. The scroll was clearly too large for the little goblin to hold in his hands since he had to keep his arms as wide as he could to keep the scroll open and ended up touching it with the tip of his large triangular nose. “Isn’t this the Alimdul river?”

“Alimdul?” Sizarbob asked. “Are you sure, Ertak?”

“Yes! See? It flows from here, to there, then it goes through the Dryad lands and here, in this area, through our, Goblin lands. It eventually flows past the village I was born in! Ah! My family takes drinking water from that river!”

“Barbarians!” A goblin cried out.

“Monsters! Kill them!” Another goblin shouted raising his rusty sword.

“I see! I see!” Sizarbob ground his teeth “For a moment I felt pity for weak, defenseless humans! But no more! Ertak, take your clansmen! Find source of pollution! Put an end to human evil!"

“With pleasure!” Ertak licked his two long, upper front teeth. “Alright! Epam, Eluk, Sorg, Morg, Mudu, Gudu, Jatekta, follow me!”

The small goblin party turned away from the bridge and went into the city.

“I understand now - even weak human can do big evil! We put human down. Forever!" Sizarbob slowly walked past Yuusha, drawing the largest, sharpest blades he had. “I must ask forgiveness for stepping between you and your prey. But now humans made this personal! Goblins! Attack!”