Chapter 27 – Mines, Kobolds, and Senior Adventurers (2)
Arriving at the village, we first headed to the village chief’s house. Patrick said that you should first meet the client, make eye contact, and talk about the request.
“Welcome.”
When we arrived at the village chief’s house, the village chief and his family welcomed us. The village chief’s house was not as big as the village chief’s four.
It was just the right size and felt cozy. The village chief’s family and we faced each other at the table.
There weren’t many chairs, so only Patrick and the village chief sat facing each other, and we stood behind Patrick.
“It is fortunate that the adventurers came early. Thanks to that, I was able to meet the deadline somehow.”
The village chief got lucky first.
“Haha, what are you saying? Well then, it’s about the request. I want you to tell me what happened in the mine.”
“All right. If it helps you in your work, you should do it. That was three days ago.”
It is said that a miner named Mac entered the mine in the middle of the night. He said the lost item might be there. He found the wrong thing instead of what he was looking for in the dark mine.
“That was the kobolds. Fortunately, Mac returned safely, and we entered the mine together. There are more than seven kobolds inside.”
The elders in the village tried to do something, but they gave up for fear of casualties. So I asked the guild.
“How were those kobolds armed?”
“It was dark, so I couldn’t see very well…”
Patrick proceeded with the conversation by asking for the necessary information. Even so, the conversation didn’t stop abruptly, it continued naturally like water flowing.
It was thanks to him responding appropriately to the village chief’s words and timing the attack well.
‘…There are many things to learn.’
I listened carefully to their conversation. I thought it would be beneficial if I just followed it well.
The conversation continued after that. The conversation ended only after hearing the internal structure of the mine.
After the conversation, we headed to the mine, and the village chief put a miner as a guide. We entered the mine with our guide.
“It’s a lot darker than I thought…”
Seris said in a slightly frightened voice. As she said, it was very dark inside the mine. It was because the torches stuck everywhere were off.
We made our way relying on torches held by me, Joy, Belita, and our guide. Lighting the torches on the wall lit the space behind us.
Squeak – The old wooden floor screams with every step.
“Ugh…”
Ceris snuggled right next to me and grabbed her sleeve. She seems afraid of this dark space.
He held her hand with her free hand. Tight as if to reassure. Seris seemed surprised, but then she seemed to feel a little more at ease.
When she thought that this was enough, she let go of her hand.
“…”
But this time Kara came up to me and grabbed my sleeve. She pursed the corners of her mouth and expressed, ‘I have a grievance.’
‘Why is he like this again?’
As I stared at Kara, she held out her hand.
‘Are you asking me to hold your hand? But he’s not even that scared.’
As soon as I paused, Kara dragged my hand at will. She held my hand longer than my sister.
* * *
As we made our way through the mines, we found two kobolds. They were wearing only loose-fitting cloth pants.
– I’m hungry… I’m hungry…
-Be patient with me. Soon it will be meal time!
Judging from the fact that they carry torches, they seem to be part of a patrol team. Looking at the two kobolds, Patrick said in a small whisper.
“Well, I only see two. If that’s the case, I think you’ll be all right. How is it?”
Patrick looked at me and Sister Ceris.
“You mean us?”
“Yes, are you not confident?”
I turned to Kara and Seris. We can handle up to five goblins without a problem.
If so, would that work for kobolds as well?
At first glance, the kobolds were larger than the goblins and looked stronger.
I was a bit hesitant, but I nodded.
“You can.”
If it were only me and the Celis sisters here, I would have been in a lot of trouble. But now there are seniors who are veterans next to us.
Even if something goes wrong, they will help.
Sister Seris and I slowly walked towards the kobold.
“Are you okay. Just do what you normally do. Don’t be too nervous.”
Seris and Kara nodded. Seris looked a little nervous, but Kara seemed rather excited.
-Kyung..? It smells weird!
As we got closer, they noticed. I spoke so quietly that only Sister Ceris could hear it.
“Let’s surround it.”
We ran and surrounded the kobolds so they couldn’t escape. The kobolds growled with their backs against the wall.
-Kong! Humans are here again! What do we do?
– What! There are only three of them, so I have to kill them.
The kobolds each drew their weapons. One was holding a round blunt weapon, and the other was a sword with a bad blade.
Seris approached the one with the blunt weapon, and Kara and I approached the one with the sword.
-Kieeng!!
The kobold pounced first. They seem to have decided that they should attack first since the number is small. He swung her sword vertically at Kara.
Kang!
Kara blocked it with her sword. The kobold raised his sword again and struck it down. Kang! Kang! Kang! The sound of metal clashing echoed through the mine.
“Ugh…”
As if the power of the kobold was stronger than expected, Kara began to be pushed back little by little. Seeing that, the kobold was excited and swung his sword wildly.
In the end, Kara’s posture gave way a little, and the kobold laughed. He raised his sword high to strike hard.
It’s a gap.
I ran right over and hit him in the eye with a torch.
– Crack!
The kobold groaned and grabbed his eyes. It must be painful because I was beaten with something hot. I took advantage of that gap and brought the torch to the kobold.
Roar
The kobold’s fur caught fire.
-Kong?! Sesame!!
The kobold was startled. He chose to turn off the lights rather than his own eyes. He pounded the burning part with his hand.
The fire did not go out after a long time because it was not oiled and glued on.
But while the kobold put out the fire, I was already behind him. He puts his arm around the guy’s neck and stabs the dagger he’s holding in reverse.
-Break, break!! Let this go! Let go!!
A kobold’s hide and neck were much thicker than a goblin’s. Thanks to that, he didn’t die all at once, and he struggled.
I stabbed the dagger, being careful not to let go of him. A notification window popped up when the leather on the nape of the kobold’s neck was stained with blood.
[You have acquired 5 Karma.]
I turned to Seris. Seris was holding up better than expected. She dodged the kobold’s attack by blocking it with her shield or by stepping back.
“Yap!”
Kara ran up to the blunt kobold and thrust her two-handed sword into it. The kobold, who was only focusing on Seris, was caught off guard and his two-handed sword was deeply embedded in his stomach.
-Break… Kkiek!!!
The kobold had a seizure and swung his blunt weapon. It was a desperate attack, as if he thought he was already dead.
“Damn it, avoid Kara!”
Even if you run to Kara right away, you can’t reach it. I changed the dagger to an integer and got into a throwing stance.
But before I could throw it, Seris intervened.
Baka-! Seris’s shield slashed her blunt weapon at Kara. It was parrying. The kobold’s arm bounced off and moved the arm holding the Seris sword.
“Don’t touch my brother.”
Seris’ sword pierced the kobold’s chest. A cold blade pierced the kobold’s back. He looked at the sword that pierced his chest and collapsed.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Seris, Kara are you okay?”
Approached them
“Uh, yes I’m fine.”
“I’m fine too.”
Saying that, Seris’ gaze was fixed on the fallen kobold. The hand that stabbed her sword trembled slightly.
I patted her on the shoulder.
“Good job. It would have been dangerous without you.”
Only then did Seris’ hands stop shaking. Kara squeezed Cerith’s arm as she held her shield.
“Are your arms okay? Aren’t you sick?”
A voice full of worry.
Seris stroked the side of Kara’s hair.
“Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt that much. Didn’t you block it with a shield?”
“Still…”
Kara looked at Cerris and hesitated. She said softly.
“Thank you, Sister.”
At that, the corner of Seris’s mouth went up. She wrapped her arms around her and pulled Kara into a hug.
“Uh, unnie, it hurts a little…!”
“Be patient.”
I smiled and patted Kara’s head.
* * *
“Good job. You fought well. It’s like a rookie who says he’s doing well these days.”
Patrick chuckled.
“Still, I saw some regrets. Sleep, for example.”
Patrick pointed at Ceris.
“When blocking blunt weapons, it is best to block them with the iron part in the center of the shield. In your case, didn’t your shield break because you just randomly blocked it?”
I glanced at Seris’ shield.
The circular shield made of wood was incomparably damaged before entering the mine.
“Of course, avoiding or letting go is the best, but that requires a bit of skill. It’s hard right now.”
Even after that, Patrick gave me some advice. All of them were useful advice for us who were new chicks.
“Hey, why were you blank when I put the knife in earlier?”
“To? Ah, the sword wasn’t drawn…”
“But if I’m absent-minded, all I can say is that I’ll search for you? In that case, you should throw away the sword. Then the secondary armament… What the heck, you don’t even have a secondary armament?”
Belita also gave Cara her advice. It was more like a scolding than advice, but if it helped, that’s fine.
“Um… When will you be moving again?”
The guide asked cautiously.
“Well, it’s been a while since we talked. Make it move again.”
We went back into the mine. It wasn’t long before I found 4 kobolds.
“We’ll take care of it this time. Take a good look.”
Senior adventurers walked over to the kobolds.
– Keng? Human!!
The kobolds drew their weapons and rushed at the seniors.
“Suck!”
Patrick dodged one kobold’s attack and blocked the other with his shield. Belita slammed her sword into the flank of the one who struck her shield.
-Kong!
Behind her, the kobold swung her blunt weapon. Belita dodged her narrowly and kicked her kobold in the knee. The kobold sat down.
-Kye..!
She drew the sword from the kobold’s body and swung it. The boy who had been sitting down fell off his head.
“…Cut that.”
The neck was very thick. I glanced at Seris.
‘I wonder if he can do it too.’
Just as I was thinking about that, I heard a loud voice.
“Wow!”
The kobold’s arm was severed along with Andrew’s loud cry. The kobold wept in pain as he grabbed the cut section.
“Noisy!”
Zoe thrust it into the kobold’s chest. In the meantime, Belita took care of the remaining one.
“Wow…”
“Huh…”
Kara and Seris admired the seniors. I wish I could learn something from watching that.
I also just reviewed Belita’s movements.
‘Her movement was fast and there was no superfluity. She has good hit-and-run judgment.’
She took care of all three alone. I think Belita has the best skills among the three.
“How about it, was it worth seeing?”
Patrick asked.
“Yes, there is a lot to learn. Thank you.”
“Then good luck. Alright, then let’s keep going. She’s caught six, so there’s probably not much left. I have to finish it and go back.”
After that, we went around the mines and caught kobolds. When the number was small, the Seris sisters and I fought, and when there were many, the seniors stepped forward.
“Something is strange…”
Patrick frowned.
“I’ve already surpassed 10, but…”
As he said, the number of kobolds we killed on our way here exceeded twenty. Belita grabbed the guide by the collar.
“Hey, what is this? It’s about 10. But why the fuck are there more than 20 of them?”
“Uh… That’s not something we know for sure… That’s all we saw in a dark situation…”
“You call that a fucking word? Tear your mouth?”
“Oh, no. Sorry…Billion…”
An ax flew from somewhere and was lodged in the guide’s head. The guide drooped down with a short agony.
“…What?”
Belita let go of her guide’s collar. Her body fell to the floor.
We turned to the place where the ax had come from.
More than ten kobolds had gathered. I looked back. The back was the same. We were surrounded by about thirty kobolds.
“Ha… That’s fucking shit.”
Belita was brainwashed.
