Ch.34Reconnaissance (1)

The next morning.

“Corin, I’m entrusting the settlement to you.”

“Yes, Lord Alzar. I shall follow my lord’s command.”

After leaving the settlement in the care of my servant Corin, as I had done many times before, I mounted Gus who had been waiting beside me.

My objective was none other than patrolling the southwestern plains. Partly to entertain Gus who seemed a bit bored, I decided to ride him for the first time to patrol the plains—terrain ideal for horses to run.

The ground in these nearby plains was neither too hard nor too soft, gently absorbing the impact each time hooves struck the earth, and there were almost no large obstacles like trees or rocks that would hinder running…

Thanks to this, there’s no better terrain for creatures optimized for running across plains like horses, but…

‘…But what kind of monsters would be in the plains?’

Conversely, this means that unless an animal is specifically adapted to the plains environment like horses, it wouldn’t survive in this perilous land.

Of course, there are many diverse reasons for this tendency, but if I had to pick just one, it would be the lack of cover for large creatures to hide.

Particularly dangerous in this environment are creatures that are too large or tall to hide among bushes or shrubs, yet their combat abilities remain at a low level.

They’re easily exposed to large aerial predators like hippogriffs or great eagles and likely to be hunted, not to mention the high possibility of being preyed upon by other plains predators…

‘…Wow. It’s absolutely crawling with them.’

As I patrolled the nearby plains looking for potential threats like packs of stray dogs, I ended up discovering and catching an abundance of small animals like rabbits and field rats that I hadn’t expected at all.

‘Hup, another one.’

—Swoosh!

The weapon I was using was a newly crafted ogre bone dagger that I was testing. To provide meat and leather for the settlement while also practicing my throwing skills, I hunted large numbers of field rats and rabbits by throwing this throwing dagger.

Ah, of course, these rats and rabbits weren’t the common mice and domestic rabbits I knew in my previous life, but forearm-sized rats and hares that looked fierce enough to tear apart snakes.

Given their size difference from what one might typically think of as rabbits and rats, the 20 hares and 40 field rats dangling from my saddle should provide enough meat for everyone.

Moreover, the fur from these small creatures serves as versatile cold-weather protection and material for leather tools. It will certainly be useful when winter comes, and the leather will be valuable for crafting various tools.

Additionally, with this many carcasses hanging from my saddle, their scent would surely spread in all directions, potentially attracting wild dogs that might “voluntarily join” us if we’re lucky.

“Prrrr…”

‘Haha… Sorry, Gus. Just bear with it a little longer.’

Of course, the bloody smell from so many animal carcasses couldn’t possibly be pleasant for Gus, so I naturally apologized while stroking him as he expressed his discontent, but…

“Prruk, prrrr!”

“Hmm? That’s not the issue?”

Gus’s reaction seemed less about the pungent smell of blood from the carcasses and more about… hunger?

“Ah, right. Gus, you’re an omnivore.”

“Heehing!”

Yes, now that I think about it, that’s right. Gus is a warhorse with the distinctive breed improvements of this medieval fantasy world. He’s a creature born from hundreds of years of crossbreeding various equine monster bloodlines.

Compared to ordinary horses, the genetic difference is as stark as between a chihuahua and a wolf. Naturally, Gus, as the product of such work, has mixed monster traits and is essentially omnivorous.

Come to think of it, with those sharp fangs growing in his mouth, it would be more surprising if Gus were purely herbivorous.

Anyway, having noticed Gus’s intention, I took out a field rat carcass from the saddle while still mounted.

“Heehing!”

“Here, eat up.”

—Crunch, munch. Chomp, chomp, chomp…

As I lowered my head to offer the rat carcass to his mouth, Gus happily chewed the head-pierced field rat with savage sounds while continuing to walk.

Indeed, chewing something whole can certainly be delicious. The skull cracking open with brain matter seeping out, the slightly decomposed stomach contents mixing together…

‘…Hmm?’

And just then, while I was momentarily confused about what I had just been thinking, I suddenly sensed a presence from beyond.

The aura seemed somehow different from that of ordinary wild dogs, so I nudged Gus to gallop in that direction.

—Clippity-clop, clippity-clop, clippity-cloppity-clop!!!

After Gus faithfully followed my command and accelerated instantly toward that life form…

‘…A goblin?’

What entered my vision was none other than a surprisingly well-armed goblin.

※ ※ ※

Under normal circumstances, goblins are a race that cannot be well-armed.

Their civilization is so primitive that they barely surpass the Neolithic era at best, and most are exterminated through internal conflicts or subjugation, with their forces numbering at most around 1,000.

In reality, most “successful” goblin groups consist of small villages of about 100 to 200 goblins, which is natural considering their biological characteristics.

Their size averages around 1 meter in height, with physical abilities inferior even to wild dogs of similar size. They have no sharp claws or teeth, no genius intellect, no innate abilities or magical capacity.

Yet their temperament and personality are more ferocious than humans and they have very little patience, making them, at best, inferior versions of humans.

Of course, they can devise strategies and tactics with their somewhat cunning minds, though not as well as humans, and they do have some innate special abilities.

These are limited to the ability to communicate effectively with animals and an innate talent for crafting traps.

Anyway, the vast majority of these feeble goblins are little more than vagrants.

Therefore, the image most people have of goblins is worse than the barbaric raiders you might see in the Mad■ss series.

What they wear is at best rags tied together with string, and it’s not uncommon to find them walking around with barely their groins covered.

The weapons they typically use are crudely made wooden spears or metal fragment daggers. Some might use small, crude bows (with low lethality and accuracy).

Of course, even among goblins, who are mere cannon fodder, there are differences in quality.

A prime example is the goblin wolf riders I’ve encountered before. Though classified as light cavalry, they’re considered heavy cavalry by goblin standards, and despite being relatively well-armed for goblins, their equipment is still pathetic.

Crude armor made of metal scraps patched with cloth or leather, spears or swords looted and modified to fit their bodies, and shields made of wooden boards covered with cloth or leather.

Even these supposedly elite members of their race are in such a state, so ordinary goblins are truly worse than common rioters.

And in that sense, the goblin I accidentally encountered clearly had equipment that surpassed the norm.

The weapons hanging from the leather belt around its waist were clearly shaped to fit its hands perfectly. The leather armor had steel pieces partially reinforced on the chest and thighs.

Moreover, all these outfits fit the goblin’s body perfectly… or rather, they were slightly loose, suggesting they were made specifically for goblin use.

‘…What is this creature?’

In short, its appearance suggested the existence of some mastermind or shadowy backer, so I immediately charged and attacked this “heavily armed goblin.”

“Kehek!”

Approaching at a speed the goblin couldn’t possibly react to, I finished it with a critical stab. After this simple but extremely efficient attack that killed the goblin with a single gasp, I… was able to gather several pieces of information from this brief encounter.

First, this goblin’s skill was pathetically inadequate compared to its level of armament.

Second, the technology used to craft the goblin’s equipment was of human origin.

And the third, most significant discovery was…

‘…The Apostate’s Mark?’

Engraved on the nape of its neck was the “Apostate’s Mark,” left on the body of a creature whose soul ownership had been revoked.

This meant the goblin was either a cultist who had sold its soul to an outer god or demon, or a mere pawn subordinate to such a cultist.