After climbing two floors worth of stairs, we reached a simple wooden door and stopped when Ronald signaled me to do so. He seemed rather nervous which was making me nervous as well. I truly hope I'm not gonna get dragged along into some kind of major event...

[Sir, this is Ronald. I have brought the person I've spoke of earlier.] (Ronald)

[Enter!]

Upon the opening of the door, we found ourselves entering a large room that seemed to be as wide as the entire first floor. It was sprinkled with desks that had scrolls falling from them, shelves filled to the brim with books and in the middle of it there was a huge square table around which two people changed really anxious looks, obviously in the middle of a conversation.

When we took the first step, the eyes of those two people changed their target from the table to me.

I tried to avoid their rather...passionate gaze and looked around the room some more. It was simpler than I expected and the furniture barely chased away the feeling of emptiness it was screaming. It still had a feel of military strictness though, something inviolable and sacred .

When approaching the table, I saw some sort of three dimensional sculpture of sorts that resembled a map. When I saw the city with its surrounding walls and forest, I realized what this was and how it was used. Similar to battle simulator games, the war generals gathered around it in order to devise plans on how to invade or how to defend a city. I was quite surprised by the rather impressive craftsmanship and attention to small details. I mean, there was the stable and some horse figurines near it...

[General... commander... this is Michael Corbett, the adventurer I mentioned previously that we found wandering out of the woods.] (Ronald)

After greeting the two with a military salute, he pushed me forward, probably in an attempt to minimize the attention the two in front of us paid to him. He seemed rather uncomfortable being in the presence of his two superiors. One looked like the classic noble you'd find in any novel, while the second looked like a muscle-head that would immediately challenge me to a fight or yell some stupid things...

[This lad!? How did he even survive!? He doesn't seem to be highly trained in any weapon arts and any 12 years old in my squad could easily snap the twigs he calls arms in half..] (middle aged man)

Yup...exactly like that...

[Now-now commander. Is not good to judge a book by its cover. A pleasure to make your acquaintance young man! My name is Charles Espada and I serve as this city's army emergency-general. The man beside me is the emergency-captain of the army corps and my friend Laurence Belgrima.] (Charles)

What's with the 'emergency' title? Please don't tell me...

[Hmpf!] (Laurence)

"Likewise, a pleasure to meet you both. I understood from Ronald here, that I should present myself in front of you in order to give some details regarding to what I saw out there. Is that correct?"

[That if you really have been there and not just aiming for the monetary compensation!] (Laurence)

[Laurence, that's enough! Yes Mr. Corbett, that is indeed correct. We found ourselves in quite the need of information regarding the forest and its 'inhabitants', since we lost quite the number of people to them.] (Charles)

"Well then, please tell me what you'd like to know and it would be my pleasure to assist. Also Michael is alright to use."

[Well then, I'll excuse myself and leave the rest to you general.] (Ronald)

I knew it! He tried to bail the first chance he got. He really can't handle stressful environments from the looks of it. He is the straightforward type, so I kind of get why...

[In fact I would very much want you to stay Ron. I am curious of your opinion regarding this matter and how to proceed. You are fairly closer to our warriors than we are. So please remain.] (Charles)

[...it would be my honor sir!] (Ronald)

Yeah right! Learn to lie better man...even your face changed color...

[Well then Michael. Please tell us how did you ended up in the forest and how did you escape. Spare no detail since it might help us find a way to end this plague upon our lands.] (Charles)

"Understood. Then let's see... Two days ago around noon I reached the plains close to the forest. "

[East of the forest by any chance?] (Charles)

"From the position of the sun I would say so, yes."

[Understood. Please proceed and feel free to use the map here if you find any resemblance to the actual terrain.] (Charles)

"Very well. I would say that I arrived here at the entrance of the forest on its east side, after using a tree as a vantage point on a nearby hill and saw the tower in the distance. I recognized it as a human settlement and walked towards it. Since it was exactly on the other side of where I was as direction, I decided to walk and break branches on my way there to create a trail, while also maintain a straight line to my goal. The reason was that I found an Oak tree there which flowers are edible and took some. In case they ended and/or I got lost in the forest, I could always return and get some more."

[Oak tree flowers are edible!? That's the first time I've heard that...] (Laurence)

[Hmm...indeed. And what happened next Michael?] (Charles)

"Yes... Next I walked for some time, maybe half an hour to an hour and soon I found myself in a meadow that seemed to be close to the plains. It was rather wide and it provided a good view all around me, just in case wild animals would attack me."

[Or Goblins...] (Ronald)

"Unfortunately... After I took a short break of not even ten minutes, I heard the sound of footsteps on leaves and branches snapping. I hoped for humans passing by, but instead I found myself hiding in the tree from a green creature I haven't seen before."

[You haven't seen Goblins before? What kind of common knowledge do you have?] (Laurence)

"Actually I have almost none since I am a traveler. But from stories I've heard I knew that it was a Goblin by its green skin and short stature. Not being a warrior myself and only level 1 I couldn't dream of fighting it on my own so I stood dead silent in the tree. There, I saw it take out from a pouch a leather water container, drank from it and prepared to roast himself a rabbit. When he left to gather more firewood, I climbed down and poisoned his water with Oak flowers and stuffed the rabbit with some more, since the opportunity presented itself to me."

[Wait Michael! What do you mean poisoned? Oh, sorry sirs!] (Ronald)

[Don't mind Ron, don't mind. I was just about to ask the same thing...](Charles)

"Well, it was only just a rumor I heard in a village I once spent the night in, that monsters find the Oak tree flowers highly poisonous and since I didn't carry a weapon, it was my only chance. This Goblin had a short spear, so I couldn't possibly take it on alone and without something to defend myself with."

[A Guard Goblin most likely.] (Laurence)

"Hmm...Impressive. They know about the occupations the Goblins have. I was expecting to find some excuses to use and some way to trick them into taking that as knowledge. Guess this makes it easier for me."

"I see. I head about the classification of them, but how do you differentiate between them?"

[The ones that carry wooden spears are guards and the ones carrying swords are soldiers. Those are the most common ones. Even a six years old knows that...] (Laurence)

"I see. Thank you for imparting that with me. So, returning to the story, after I finished putting the flowers in its water and stuffing the rabbit with them, I climbed back the tree and waited. To my despair, when he returned, he returned with another Goblin that seemed more powerful and that had a short sword, now which I know was a Soldier. By the way, both the pouch you see on me and the sword are from the two Goblins."

[Meaning that you managed to kill them? Impressive even if you shrewdly used poison.] (Charles)

"Thank you, but honestly, it was pure luck. Because when they both returned, they carried the corpse of a human person with them, which soon they roasted and ate it as well. I barely remained hidden between the horrific smell and the grotesque display..."

[THOSE FUCKING GREEN SHITS!] (Laurence)

The commander hit the table with his fist making it tilt a bit. His face became red and veins kept popping on his neck and temples. I could see just how angry he was, meaning that he might know someone was missing recently, or something like that.

[You have to excuse Laurence. Most likely, the person you saw was one of our scouts. Did he seem young or old?] (Charles)

"He seemed to be around the same age as me, maybe a bit older."

[Andreas...] (Ronald)

[There will be time for mourning when we wipe them out! Is the least that we can do for the fallen. Please Michael, continue. (Charles)

"Yes sir! After they...ate the man, the soldier took the rabbit and ate it also, after which they both drank the water. It took almost an hour until the poison took effect and by that time it was already night. I patiently waited until they could barely move and climbed down the tree. I took the spear that...that was nearby and went behind the back of the Guard and stabbed through his heart. He died almost instantly, without being able to even cry in pain. Then I headed towards the soldier and tried to do the same, when something unexpected happen that almost killed me..."

[Hmm!? What was it?] (Laurence)

All three of them were looking close at me and expecting information since I said 'something unexpected'. I wonder how will they react to this and if it is common knowledge as well.

"When I aimed for his right eye with the spear hoping to finish it fast, the Goblin Soldier's hand and sword glowed blueish for a moment and first knocked my spear up, then unsheathed it and brandished it down towards me, cutting the spear in two, all actions happening almost in the same second. When I evaded the attack and managed to kick away the sword from his hands, I felt that I almost had won. But then he suddenly became able to move again and even stranger, his body became red. I used my wits and managed to escape in the darkness, only to climbed back the tree. After about five minutes passed, he fell on the ground again, unable to move. I killed it then and ended the first day."

[But that...that means...] (Laurence)

[Indeed...That means that the reports we've heard are indeed true and they can use skills. It shouldn't be much of a surprise since they also have occupations. Thank you for confirming this for us Michael! Also, is amazing you managed to kill a Soldier and a Guard on your own in that situation. Especially since you were level 1.] (Charles)

Well...fuck it! I might as well go ahead and get this out the way as well.

"Indeed. However, I noticed the next morning that, after killing those two, I leveled up from one to seven in one go."

[[[WHAT!?]]]