A Continuing Bad Connection (3)

As Patrick said, not all races called goblins in the current era were magical beasts that went berserk and tried to eat people.

Some goblins had reason and intelligence no different from humans. They are undeniably part of this world, consistently appearing in both history and the present.

“The time when goblins were first reported to appear in this world was about 9,000 years ago… as you know, it was 1,000 years after the collapse of the Tower.”

“A race that suddenly appeared after the Tower’s collapse?”

“Yes. I’m just an adventurer, so I don’t know the details, but people consider the origin of goblins to be ‘the Tower’s curse’.”

When I asked Patrick about the goblin race, he explained that goblins were those who received a curse in this world, became corrupted, and even their appearance changed.

In fact, because the curse of corruption that turns people into magical beasts still exists to this moment, it was impossible to know whether that was true or not. One thing was certain, though: the people here were not very favorable towards goblins.

Even though they were a race that had emerged more than a few thousand years ago, there were still those who considered them the root cause of the curse.

Even among humans, they divided and distinguished themselves for various reasons, sometimes being hostile and sometimes harmonizing.

In the era I lived in, various races originating from the Tower emerged, and even now, 10,000 years later, not much has changed.

“But the goblin you’re talking about doesn’t seem like that kind of person?”

“O-Of course not. Some stupid people hate uncle just because he’s a goblin, but uncle is an excellent and wise warrior.”

When I smirked, Ian, who was reluctantly confessing, pouted. Goblin Kai, the reason why these kids were trying to go to the forest taken over by goblins by themselves, and why they were trying to search at this hour, was because of him.

“Uncle was a colleague of our fathers and our teacher. There’s no way such a person could be the leader of the magical beasts that kidnapped the villagers.”

“He even saved your life when you were young, you say.”

Ian insisted on Kai’s innocence and also mentioned that he had saved his life from a magical beast attack when he was young.

Just listening to what he said, he certainly seemed like a special goblin. Living in seclusion in a forest away from the village, but consistently associating with his young colleagues and being a teacher who gave recognition and proper teachings to their children and their friends.

“But according to the information obtained by the adventurers who came to the village, the description of the one commanding the goblin magical beasts matches that of the goblin named Kai that you testified about. I don’t know the reason, but it can’t be completely unrelated.”

It’s impossible for people not to change. As long as the curse of corruption, the calamity left in this world by the wretched Tower, remains.

And the reason this calamity appeared in the world was ultimately because of the failure to climb the Tower.

I was just a newbie who had barely tasted the tutorial, but as a member of the climbers, I couldn’t help but feel concerned that the curse left as a price for failure was still tormenting descendants even in this era.

“Th-That can’t be…”

“It seems there’s nothing more you can do. I understand how you feel, but go home now. Whether the curse has really corrupted him or if there’s another story, the subjugation team sent from the city will find out.”

I pointed with my hand to the road leading to the village. Ian and his friends looked hesitant, as if they couldn’t bear to return like this, but perhaps overwhelmed by the attack they had just experienced and the power I had shown, they didn’t disobey.

“But who are you?”

At that moment, one of them finally attempted this question. I couldn’t help but laugh at that naive question asking about my identity.

It was also absurd that they were asking about the identity of their counterpart only after saying everything they wanted to say.

“I’m just an elf.”

Pointing to my distinctive ears, I waved my hand to send them back. Whether it was effective that I had covered my face with a hood, or because the atmosphere was too different as I had acted, they had no idea that they had already met me before.

* * *

“So the subjugation team is coming. The troop size is about 200 men. Half of them will probably be hastily recruited adventurers, but if mythical weapons are mobilized, that should be more than enough.”

In the afternoon, past lunchtime, the message sent to the city finally arrived.

As Patrick said, relaying the message he received, Mayor Wilren believed our words and decided to immediately dispatch a large subjugation team that had been prepared.

“From the mayor’s standpoint, there’s no reason to hesitate. His territory is about to be attacked.”

“So what do we do now? Do we naturally join the subjugation team?”

As I smirked, leaning back in my chair as if lying down, he asked about our next move. Although I had stepped back for now to create the best outcome, my purpose hadn’t changed.

I needed to uncover the root cause that the goblins were hiding and liberate this suffering land.

“There’s something I need to deal with while the subjugation team is distracted with the goblins. So we’ll move with the subjugation team.”

“I don’t mind, but Lina is the problem. Can she fight?”

When I nodded, Patrick turned to look at Lina. She, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, was startled as she habitually poured tea.

“I, I…”

Lina looked at me and couldn’t answer easily. As the situation grew bigger, her burden also increased.

Originally, it was a kind of game to be used casually, but after being importantly involved in several incidents, the adventurer game was growing to a point that was difficult for Lina to handle.

“I’m sorry. So please bear with it a little longer. This role-play won’t last much longer, as it won’t take too long.”

Feeling guilty, I mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

I couldn’t keep forcing her to sacrifice. Whether I reveal my identity or prepare another identity, it seemed that the adventurer game centered around Lina should end soon.

“If it’s this helpful, I can do it.”

“If worst comes to worst, Patrick will protect you.”

Lina tried to smile, but realizing that it was forced courage, I smiled bitterly and turned to Patrick. He opened his eyes wide and pointed at himself with a questioning expression, but I ignored it.

I would be the one fighting the enemy anyway.

“When the subjugation begins, there will probably be a big confrontation from the front. While others clear out the goblins, we’ll watch for an opportunity and enter the cave. There must be something inside.”

The summoned subjugation team was ultimately just a cover. We waited in the village until they arrived, making more detailed plans.

“If that goblin Kai really received the curse of corruption and ended up like that, it’s too sad. Not being able to recognize his own colleagues, or the children of colleagues he cherished and raised…”

Meanwhile, Lina, who had heard about Kai from me, muttered as if feeling sorry.

“Sad, you say?”

“And it’s scary. The fact that I myself could change anytime, anywhere. After the werewolf incident, I looked it up too. Although rare, it happens to other beastkin as well.”

Lina wagged her tail with a sorrowful face. I flinched at those words. As she said, the curse doesn’t discriminate its targets.

The cause is unknown, and there’s almost no cure. That’s probably why it’s consistently called a calamity.

“Why on earth did such a curse come about? Why does it divide the people of this land and make them kill each other?”

And her following words pierced deep into my heart, which had twitched.

The reason the curse came about. The reason such a calamity still remains in this world is due to the aftermath of those who failed to climb the Tower, that is, ‘us’.

Of course, I felt a bit wronged myself, but since I’m not a psychopath, I couldn’t be completely free from that sense of responsibility.

‘But I have remaining power.’

I looked down at my small hands. It’s different from the power I gained from becoming a High Elf, such as communicating with spirits.

This power, which seems to have been given to me as compensation for not even getting a chance to challenge unlike others, is a power I can have because I am now a being too far removed from that era.

It was designed as if telling me to erase the karma coming down from the past one by one, as if I, the last remaining climber, should climb the Tower if I want to shed the responsibility of that era.

“…Me?”

However, I myself was in doubt.

Unlike how others misunderstand me, I’m close to an ordinary person in the form of a High Elf girl.

I once steeled my resolve to become a hero who saves the world even in this form, but that was just a story of that time.

For the current me, dominated by emptiness and exhaustion, even the idea of taking on some new burden felt like a distant thing.

“If by any chance I end up like that, will you help me, Isilia?”

As if reading my mind, Lina smiled and opened her mouth.

It was probably a joke she made because the mood had become a bit depressed, but for me right now, it was a very impactful question.