10 The Settlement

A Goblin Warrior is a top-level monster that evolved from Hobgoblin. If an ordinary Goblin has a threat level equivalent to E-Rank. Then a Hobgoblin has a threat level of D-Rank.

Then the threat level possessed by a Goblin Warrior is C-Rank. Likewise with Goblin Mage who are in C-Rank.

Above the two species of goblin evolution. There are Goblin Shamans and Goblin Knights who are both at the B-Rank.

Next is Goblin Chief who has the same strength as A-Rank. This is why, thwarting the birth of the Goblin Chief is an important matter. Because not many people have strength above B-Rank.

C-Rank like Ricky and Lyra are already considered veteran adventurers. Being above that rank is already considered special.

Knowing that there are several Goblin Warriors in the monster settlement. Ricky immediately had a dark face. Because that means, the figure leading the settlement is a monster of a higher level.

'This is a disaster. If there's a Goblin Chief there. Altira can be destroyed.'

Ricky thought, finally realizing that his mission might be more important than he thought. At first he only thought of joining this mission just to see the small monster settlement, and even he thought there would be nothing like settlement at all, because the information was based on a less reliable source from one of the guild officers.

But, who would have thought? It seemed that the settlement strength had already exceeded the capability of the Altira Guild.

The Altira Guild didn't have many high-class adventurers. They had no A-rank adventurers. Only three B-rank adventurers and twenty-two C-rank adventurers.

Altira was a small town far from conflict and war. The monsters around the city are also considered weak. Just goblins, wild boars and wolves. Rarely do strong monsters come to the city.

Therefore, not many high-class adventurers wanted to stay in Altira. This also the case with the city's army which was owned by the government. The strongest among them is the military captain who has B-Rank strength.

Besides the Captain, the soldiers with C-Rank strength were only about a dozen people. The rest are in E-Rank and D-Rank.

So, yeah. If the Goblin Chief really exists. Then Altira City could only ask for help from other cities. Who knows how long it will take for the help to come.

"Tsk, I can't see who is leading this place. Is he inside one of the houses?"

Lyra grumbled while monitoring the situation in the settlement with her Eagle Eye skill. Beside Lyra, Rosalina was also observing the situation in the distance with the binoculars she borrowed from the guild.

"Hmm, I think he's in the cave on the left over there."

"Cave?"

Lyra immediately turned to the direction Rosalina pointed. Seeing a cave that is somewhat blocked by trees. Several goblins were seen going in and out of the cave, carrying food from the hunt and water from a well not far from the door of the cave.

From this scene alone, the possibility that the leader of the monster horde was in the cave was very high. But there was something else that made Lyra and Rosalina's bodies instantly freeze with trembling hearts.

The two women saw a number of goblins coming out of a hut about twenty meters to the right of the cave. From inside the hut, the goblins drag three female humans.

Dragging them on the ground to forcefully enter the cave. Who knows what happened in the cave there. But both can imagine that is not a good thing.

"Hey, are you two alright?"

Ricky, who sensed that something was amiss with his two colleagues, asked suspiciously.

Rosalina lowered her binoculars, her face was pale as she bit her lower lip. On the other hand, Lyra was still monitoring, she still wanted to see if there were any other humans in the huts in that settlement.

"There are people there."

Rosalina said with anger to Ricky.

The man was stunned for a moment. But he immediately controlled himself. Saying that they can't be careless right now. The strength of the three was not enough to save the captured people.

"There seems to be more than twenty in that one hut."

"!!!"

Lyra's words shocked the other two. There are too many.

"Did they just rob a village?" Ricky asked, then Rosalina opened her map.

Seeing that the nearest village to the monster settlement was actually quite far away, about two days' journey away.

She doesn't know whether the people who were caught were from that village, or whether there are other villages that have not been recorded on the map and are not known by the local government.

"Stop it, Lyra. You will only feel more pain if you keep looking at them. We don't have the ability to help them."

Lyra closed her eyes, feeling her heart heavy.

"There's many children too, Ricky."

"…Sorry, but we can't do anything. We'd better get out of here."

Ricky then pulled the two women away from the monster settlement. After feeling far enough away and safe from the sight of the goblin soldiers on patrol.

Ricky took out a paper and pen from the mini bag at his waist. He immediately wrote down a report of the information he had just seen. After he finished writing down the information he then turned to Lyra.

The woman nodded and then began to cast a spell.

Lyra summoned a green wind elemental bird. Then told it to bring the message that Ricky wrote back to the guild.

Watched the bird go. Ricky then turned to his two colleagues.

"As the rules apply. Apart from sending the familiar, there must be one of us who must return."

Ricky said, which was done in order to be able to cope if the familiar who brought the message failed in its mission. So there is a backup person to convey the information.

In this case, Lyra couldn't leave. Because she is the only one who has the skill to monitor the situation. If within a week help has not arrived. Then Lyra would be in charge of bringing the information back to the guild.

Not only that, if there is an emergency that occurs. For example, the horde of monsters suddenly prepares for war. Then Lyra would cancel her elemental magic, and send out new, more urgent information.

Since Lyra couldn't go, then only Ricky and Rosalina were left. In the end, Ricky decided to go.

Rosalina was too weak and slow. If on the way she meets a group of monsters, Rosalina's chances of dying are greater than Ricky's.

Leaving two women in a dangerous place like this made Ricky anxious. So he could only warn the two not to act rashly and be influenced by emotions.

Whatever they saw, however cruel it was, they had to be able to hold back until help arrived. During that time, Ricky hopes the two can hide well.

Ricky says goodbye and hurries back to Altira. Unfortunately he didn't take one thing into account.

Lyra knew the consequences if she acted to help the victims caught by the goblins. So even though her heart feels heavy and guilty. She could still hold herself.

But this does not apply to Rosalina. Humans from modern times who are far from violence. Even after ten years in Etheria, she spent most of her time behind the safe walls of the town.

So when she saw the vile scene before her eyes. Rosalina wasn't horrified, on the contrary she felt her anger rising, and couldn't contain it.

Luckily Rosalina realized her limits. She knew that her strength was not enough. Therefore she can only rely on those who can help her.

'System!'