Chapter 10: Scarlett Burke

"Master! I'm back!" Yelled a scarlet haired human woman with baby blue eyes.

"Be quiet! Or you want us to be found!" Liza growled at the woman with a strict tone in her voice.

"So sorry Master, it won't happen again," the woman spoke softly as she bows her head.

"Better hope so," Liza grunted.

'How the hell did this even happen?'

Good question, but to answer that we'll have to go back a few months.

~SIX MONTHS EARLIER~

Liza finally found the exit. However, she found something not expecting.

'Is that? No, it couldn't be... why a monster like that is at the main exit? And why now?'

But no matter how many times Liza looked at it, there was no doubt about it. That thing was a Salamander.

'Salamanders usually live around the lower levels of the labyrinth, so why was there one here? Father always warned me about these thing, he said if ever face Salamander without fire resistance... you're dead,'

Salamanders were giant lizards with fire abilities. They're like dragons but without wings, their skin are so blazing hot that merely a simple touch can give you extreme fire damage. This was bad for Liza since she didn't had fire resistance nor did she had heat resistance. And that fact the Salamander just had to be blocking the only exit to the outside world.

This was infuriating to Liza, since she didn't wanted to waste anymore time. She had to find Runt and father as quick as possible. But that's easy than done.

'Damn it! What now?! I can't just wait here forever, but also can't risk dying either,' Liza couldn't help it as she slowly started nibbling onto her fingers tips.

But then, Liza heard a woman's voice yelling. Liza raised her head as tried to see where was yelling coming from. There she was, a woman with long red hair, wore plated battle armor, welded an sword that was over half her size. And this woman was fighting with the Salamander.

'What does she think she's doing?! Facing a Salamander without fire resistance is one thing, but fighting alone is plain crazy!!!' Liza sighed frustratingly before racing to the woman.

"CRITICAL KICK!" Liza shouted before kicking the woman to the side and out of the way of the Salamander next attack.

"CRITICAL KICK LV 5"

'Huh? It's been awhile since I leveled up Critical Kick, wonder what happens when it gets to level 10?'

"Ow~" Liza attention turned to the woman she save and Liza immediately hid her face from the woman.

"What... WHAT THE HELL!" and there it was, an table of mistakes and misunderstandings.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! GOBLIN!?" The woman tried gripped Liza shoulder but before she did, Liza smacked her hand away.

"Shut up..." Liza said softly.

"WHAT?! DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU HAVE ANY RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO?!--" hearing this woman constant nagging, was making Liza boil and the fact she kept trying to touch Liza made it that more irritating.

Liza tried walking away to somewhere quiet but it was close to impossible when the woman kept following Liza around. It was unbearable and soon Liza just snapped. She swung hand and smacked the woman across the face. The woman was going to retaliate but Liza smacked the her again and again. Liza kept smacking the woman until her cheek were red as her hair.

"STOP IT!" the woman yelled, Liza smacked her again.

"STOP IT! DAMN IT!" the woman shouted again, Liza smacked her another few times.

The woman was balling in her own tears, but she wasn't crying. She was only sat on ground in silence, before looking up at Liza in the eye.

"Are you done with your yapping yet?" Liza said mockingly.

The woman nodded her head.

Liza sighed deeply. "Okay, before I start, I'll like let make somethings clear..."

The woman remained silent.

"First off; what you did back there was beyond stupid.

Second; the only reason I kicked you is because I was trying to save you from being turned into a roasted snack for the Salamander.

And lastly; you yelling like before will allure more monsters, you basically asking them to eat you for dinner at this point," Liza said with a blunt yet humorous tone in her voice.

The woman's hot tears kept running down on her flustered face, feeling absolutely embarrassed from being scowled at by goblin.

What made it worse, she couldn't respond back. What could she say? Even though she hated to admit it, but deep down she knew Liza was right. She knew it was stupid to go to the labyrinth alone by herself.

She knew it was stupid to rush through the lower levels without guidelines. She knew it was stupid to think she could handle a Salamander just because they were on the first level.

And yet... she did those things anyway. Even though she knew the risk, yet she didn't bother to stopping herself. All because she thought it would be 'cool'. All because she heard a small rumor about a goblin that going to become a Demon Lord. All because she thought she would become a hero by leaving the labyrinth with the head of said goblin.

The woman's name was Scarlett Burke. There is only one word to describe this woman, and that word is 'dumbass'. Scarlett was always called this, even her so called friends called her a dumbass. Because ever since Scarlett was little, she always got herself into reckless and life-threatening situations.

Which is why people who knew Scarlett would also play tricks on her. People would usually make jokes about how Scarlett didn't die yet. Men would also create lewd comments on her body as men tried to harass Scarlett. But only ended up to get punched into the earth.

Scarlett may be stupid, but that didn't mean she was weak. Scarlett was born supreme physical strength, it was only reason why the people she knew wouldn't pick a fight with her. All Scarlett wanted is to be respected, to be treated as a human instead of some dimwitted beast.

So when Scarlett got looked down on by goblin, she felt a chunk of her pride being chipped away. Scarlett felt so much shame. Almost enough shame wroth killing herself for. However...

"Okay, now I'm done. Let's start!" Liza spoke as Scarlett stared at the small goblin with confusion and curiosity.

"Tell me your name human! I would tell you my own but unfortunately I don't have one so just call me Mr. Goblin," Liza said to Scarlett with cheerful voice.

'Human, really? Well I'm not wrong or anything but... Damn It! I sounded like some kind cheesy over the top fan boy! And 'Mr. Goblin'? Wow! That's so corny! I should've just told her my old name... actually no. That would've been worse,' Liza thought to herself.

"I... um... it's Scarlett, Scarlett Burke," Scarlett stuttered over her words.

"Scarlet?" Liza responded.

"Scarlett," Scarlett corrected.

"Scarlett? Okay, nice to properly meet you Scarlett!" Liza tried to put out her best smile as she stretch out her hand.

Scarlett leaned back in shock, sure she didn't knew goblins better than the next person but... Scarlett was very confident that goblins aren't usually as nice.

'Is he really a goblin? He's so nice though, it doesn't make sense. Why is he being nice to me? Is he planing to rape me? No. If that was the case he would've done it by now. Then why? Is he the new Demon Lord? Would make sense, since he can talk. But--'

"Uh... hello? Are you there? Earth to Scarlett! You do know it's considered rude to leave someone out like this right?" Liza said as she waves her hand out to Scarlett.

Scarlett was dragged out of her thoughts as she instinctively shook Liza's hand with her own. Liza smiled as she shook back. After they parted hands, Scarlett asked Liza questions.

"Mr. Goblin? Are you really a goblin?"

Liza stiffened up at Scarlett words, regretting at her choices. 'Why? I know I told her to call me that but I didn't thought she would've actually call me that,'

"Uh..." Liza clear her voice before continuing.

"Yes! I am! Born and raised! Flesh and blood!" Liza grinned as she tried to put up a cherry attitude.

Scarlett crook a brow in disbelief, Liza felt her sweat forming. "Then how can you talk?"

"I have a skill that helps me to understand languages from different races, including human," Liza said slightly confident of herself.

"Are you the goblin Demon Lord?" Scarlett said boldly.

Liza smirked as she felt her confidence raised. "Sorry~ but I'm not. I'm only just one of the Demon Lord's bodyguards,"

That was a lie, but not a complete lie. Liza had the 'Protector of the future Demon Lord' title after all. So she was a bodyguard, but for now that role is relied on her father's shoulders.

Even so, she was still Runt's 'protector'. And as long that fact stands, Liza will always be solely determined to find Runt and help him become a Demon Lord no matter what.

"GAIN SKILL DECEPTION LV 1"

"A bodyguard? Wait! Does that mean the real Demon Lord is around here?!" Scarlett said with stars filled eyes.

Liza shook her head. "Sorry, but you just missed him. He left the labyrinth three days ago,"

"What?! Really?! But then why are you still here?" Scarlett asked.

Liza chuckled. "Because, when the Demon Lord left. We were in the middle of battle with some humans. To reassure the Demon Lord escape without being followed. I, was left behind to take out the foolish humans off the Demon Lord trail,"

"DECEPTION LV 2"

'I think I said too much... Damn it!' Liza felt her anxiety crawling up against her skin.

"Really? Are you really that strong?" Scarlett gazed at Liza with her glittery eyes.

'Huh?' Liza crook her head to the side in disbelief.

Liza quickly posture herself. "I... I mean yeah! I'm strong! Couldn't think of any run of the mill goblin would be able to kill three humans alone,"

Liza mentally wacked herself after saying that last part.

"Three humans? Were they strong?" Scarlett asked like a little school girl in kindergarten.

"Well... I don't know? They seem strong at the beginning..." Liza said with a smirk printed on her face.

After that, Liza told Scarlett how she defeated three humans by herself with a little more flare. Scarlett just nodded her head as listen to Liza's over the top story.

Scarlett was amazed by Liza's story, but didn't fully believe it. However when Liza showed off the items she stole from the humans, Scarlett was completely convinced.

"Mr. Goblin!" Scarlett shouted  as she sat up straight.

"Uh...Yes?" Liza responded nervously.

'Did she figure out that I was lying?' Liza gulped.

Scarlett then unexpectedly bowed her head down until her forehead hit the ground as she yelled. "PLEASE LET ME BE YOUR STUDENT!"

"Say what?" Liza blurted out.

"PLEASE MR. GOBLIN! PLEASE ALLOW THIS DUMBASS OF AN HUMAN TO BE YOUR STUDENT!" Scarlett yelled again.

"Quieten down will you, I heard you the first time," Liza said angrily as she rubbed her sensitive ears.

"Sorry..." Scarlett whispered.

Liza sighed to herself. She wants to immediately object to what Scarlett is even asking of her.

But if Liza did, what then? Where will the human woman go? The Salamander was still blocking the only exit so she couldn't go home, right? But based on her actions earlier, she wouldn't be able to last long down here in the labyrinth either. So with a deep breath, Liza stared at Scarlett in the eye.

"Before I give you my answer I will like you to listen what I have to say, alright?" Liza said before Scarlett immediately nodding her head in agreement.

Liza deeply sighed. "Alright, first off we only met literally an hour ago. Not only that, but you are a woman, aren't you afraid that I might be taking advantage of you? You know I've killed humans before, so what makes you think that I wouldn't try to kill you? And to finish it off I'm a goblin that serves a Demon Lord! It's not like we really on the same side!"

Silent grew between the two. Liza didn't felt this awkward since her first actually talk with her father. Liza stomach curled in anticipation, waiting for Scarlett to responds.

"Hearing that, it make me sound like I'm crazy," Scarlett spoke briefly.

'Well... you're kinda are crazy. Especially crazy since you try fight with a Salamander' Liza thought with concern.

"But that's because I am crazy. And if we're being honest, I don't mind that," Scarlett spoke words that were ridiculous yet her voice was calm and sincere.

"Back home, I was never treated fairly. I was always looked down upon just because I wasn't the brightest person," Scarlett chew her lip as she remembered all those people laughing at her.

As Liza listen to Scarlett's story, the more she saw herself in Scarlett. Because Liza understood Scarlett's pain, to be treated like nothing only causes you were born different than others.

She knew what it was like to be looked down on, working hard yet nothing ever changes. Liza was actually liked been born as a goblin, because the goblins would praised her for being different. They were more accepting.

"And also, Mr. Goblin. If you were to harm me in any way. I promise you, I won't let you get your way that easily. You may be strong, but I have full confidence that I  can hold my own against you," Scarlett said while looking cocky and arrogant.

Liza chuckled as she run her hand through her close to nothing hair.

"You are a dumbass..." Liza paused as Scarlett gulped deeply.

"But know what? I think I like that part of you," Liza said with a bright smile.

"Really?!" Scarlett said in shock.

"Better buckle My New Student. Because were stuck together for now on!" Liza said as she passed a dagger to Scarlett.

Scarlett smiled back as she followed her teacher. "Right!"

~ PRESENT DAY~

Every since then, the two wonder through the labyrinth and gain more skills together. Scarlett is still a dumbass, and Liza was still a ugly goblin. But that was that was okay, because together they were beautiful masterminds.

"Master!" Scarlett shouted at Liza with a panic expression on her face.

"Yes?" Liza responded lazily before turning around and saw what Scarlett was panicking about.

"Oh no..." Liza said as the color of her face washed away.