--- Night at Acamar Village - Goblin Settlement ---

*rustle *rustle

I can hear a rustling sound coming from the bushes just outside the gate. Ogre won't make a soft sound like this, is it another human?

"Who's there!?"

I hope they run after knowing I'm still awake and fine.

"Hey, Thocked... It's me."

"... Karm? Why are you here?"

From the gate I can see Karm walking slowly getting closer to me.

"I asked the others to set up a camp in the forest, they should be alright. And I am here to make sure you come back."

"Heh.. Gahahaha. You really know me don't you."

"I've been with you for a long time, I know you will stay here and try to stop all the ogre."

"*sigh... It's alright, the ogre from before was just a lost kid. Nothing to worry about."

"Then, let's go and join the other."

" . . . I can't.."

"Is this related to why you used intimidation?"

" . . . You felt that?"

"What happened?"

"... Humans.."

"You alright?"

He is not . . angry?

"Hey, Karm... I think you should be the chief from now on."

"... Heh, the only one fit to be the chief is you, Thocked."

Ah, that's right, speaking about human . . .

"Karm, what do you say if I ask human to help us?"

"Have you asked that human?"

"... yes. I don't have much time left. I'm planning to get all the help I can, to make sure all of us can be safe."

"If you have asked him... Then I'm fine with it."

Huh? Why is he accepting it just like that?

"I might not believe that human, but I believe you."

"... Gahahaha.. Then, I want you to replace me as a chief."

"Heh... I believe you already know the answer. I will talk about this with the other, later. And, what about that human."

"He is called Taka, an honest but mysterious man, and he is a man with a few words."

"And, what does he looks like?"

"You will know it's him once you meet him."

"... Then, what did you ask him for?"

"it's about the Argent.. I want him to help drive away those Argent."

"Argent, huh. It will be harder without you."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I ask that man to come."

"... Heh. We never have a good relationship with human up to now, but, if you trust him . . . I will too."

"It's getting really late, you should go back, Karm."

"You sure about this, Thocked?"

"Yeah.. This is the only answer I can come up with."

" . . . *sigh... I'll be going then."

"And, don't forget to erase your trace. Ask Priogs to do that, he should know how to do that."

"Heh, I will.."

"Then, good bye, Karm."

". . . Good luck, Thocked."

After that, Karm leave.

--- Morning at Acamar Village - Goblin Settlement ---

After Karm left, I went to sleep once I'm sure there is nothing else coming to the village.

"*sigh.. Human, huh."

We have fought human before, and the situation I'm right now, is more or less similar to what happened before. They will come in a small group, and some time later, they will come with a much bigger group. From the story passed down from my ancestor....

It all start because an injured human child come to our territory by chance. Of course, we try to help her, which is why we need her to stay in our village, until she becomes better. But, the next day, a group of human come looking for the kid, knowing they are looking for the kid, the chief at that time come out in front of those human holding the sleeping kid. But, the human suddenly attack the chief... Then war happened... It's life, we have no rule, there is only life or death.

After that incident, the goblin tribe got split up, those who believe human is our enemy, those who believe it's better seclude themselves from others, and there is also my tribe who believe each individual is unique.

. . . I do believe not everyone is evil, but those human from before. Coming when we were exhausted, attacking without any notice, slaughtering my friends and family like it's nothing... I should never let them pass me to chase after Karm and the other. Yeah, I should think up a plan to make not only human, but also ogre to stop here...

There should be some ogre near this village, that ogre from before is the proof. He also got a bit excited when fighting me, they might not have a lot of chance to fight a strong enemy. I should take my chance and lure them to this village when those human come. But, how should I do that?

. . . Ah, that [Intimidate], they might come if they can feel a strong aura nearby.

Then, I should prolong the battle as long as I can, huh. Until I can sense any ogre nearby. It should go as I planned if they don't realize there are ogre nearby. But, plan won't always go well, huh. At least, I can pass away in this little village I love... For those who I care for...

--- Short side-story - Karm's Word - ---

--- Night at Camp in Meridien Forest near Acamar Village ---

"Hey, Karm has come back!"

"Karm, how is it?"

When I come back to the camp, all the other goblin is asking me about the chief.

"Don't worry, Chief is fine."

"See! I told you he can beat anything!"

"Yeah, that's right! Ogre is nothing against him!"

From all over the camp, the goblins are rejoicing that Chief was able to defeat the ogre.

"But... Chief won't be joining us."

"*Huh?"

"Chief not coming?"

As I thought, almost all of them got confused when I said that. To lessen their worry, here I should . . .

"Don't worry . . . Chief has appointed a new chief to lead our tribe!"

. . . *sigh, it's really hard to say this when they have those curious eyes.

"He is a human called Taka!"

"Human?"

"Why should a human lead us?"

"That's right! A human should never become our Chief!"

Yeah, after that attack from before, I expected them to hate human. But, to have his help, I need them to somehow respect him. Asking someone for help, for him to come and got rejected would be rude and meaningless. Thocked trust him, I should too. And that's why I need to make a proper situation for him.

"Calm down everyone... Our Chief has acknowledged him to lead us! And I will be his assistant. So, he won't be able to do as he wants."

Hoo, seems like they finally able to calm down a bit.

"Don't worry, we will discuss about this later on, when we have built our new village. For now, we should do our best to survive... Until that human come to our village."

Then, even some of them still reluctant, they accept it... for now.

I don't know whether this is a good idea or not.. That Thocked, he really likes to make a surprising decision.