Chapter 10

Goblins are basically creatures that live in caves without forming settlements in the forest. They have no discipline or rules, go out to hunt and gather, return home, and feed their children and wives. Their intelligence is about the same as a three-year-old human, they are faithful to their desires, and rarely form groups.

Occasionally, a particularly outstanding individual appears and leads the group.

If not culled appropriately, their reproductive power would cause their numbers to increase rapidly.

"That's about all I know."

"It's enough. It seems you've read the guild's materials thoroughly."

Dil mentally defended himself, thinking, "I did read it, you know," but since it was a monologue, it had no meaning at all. Still, the fact that he said it showed that he was still a bit timid.

"If left alone, their numbers will increase. Ideally, we'd like to eradicate them, but they keep appearing from nowhere. It's impossible to deal with them all. That's why we, the adventurers, have to..."

"Regularly reduce their numbers, right?"

"Exactly. We can nip danger in the bud and earn money. It's a job we have to do as adventurers in the city of Gian."

When asked how many they could defeat in a day, he said it would be at least ten, depending on the day, which was more than Dil expected. If that was the case, they could earn three silver coins a day, and with careful spending, they could certainly allocate money to improve their equipment.

"Well, there's no point in getting too worked up. But from now on, no idle talk."

"Understood."

Dil and the others left the road and stood in front of a forest overgrown with ferns. This place, where trees and grass obstructed the view, was probably a good spot for hiding and living in caves.

It would be better to keep using the "Keen Eye" skill, even if it meant being a bit forceful. Goblins use arrows and throwing weapons, so there's always a possibility of a surprise attack, and it's not a bad thing to be too cautious.

Dil activated Keen Eye, and he could feel his body becoming lighter than before, and he twisted his neck. His movements were clearly better.

Come to think of it, he had used Keen Eye more in the carriage than before, yet he didn't feel as tired as he used to.

(What... is going on here?)

He found it a bit mysterious, but since it didn't worsen and actually improved his movements, he decided to put it aside and enter the forest.

Following Kuri, who led the way, and Milchi, who held her staff with both hands, Dil continued to maintain the state of Keen Eye.

When hunting, it's important to look for signs of life in the forest, Kuri said during dinner.

While Dil knew the names and innate abilities of goblins, he was almost as ignorant about monsters as anyone else.

All he could do was watch Kuri, who kept looking at the trees and the ground.

Kuri would occasionally pick up soil, smell it, and mark a tree as she moved forward.

Smelling the soil was probably to search for residual scents.

The marking on the trees was easy to understand because there were various scars of different sizes all over the trees in the area. They were likely the marks left by adventurers who had explored the area in the past. The number was so great that it was ridiculous to count, and it showed how many adventurers had come to slay goblins.

Seeing that they still hadn't been eradicated despite being killed in such numbers, Dil felt a little fear at the resilience of the goblin race.

"It's best to assume that all the famous vertical caves have already been searched. So, as newbies, we'll be looking for minor, undiscovered areas or individuals called 'strays.'"

He had forgotten the exact name, but this forest had been explored to some extent, and the basic caves had been covered. Of course, there were still many unexplored areas, and goblins that came from there would start building nests in the caves again in a few weeks, but it was best to assume they were not there.

Typically, they would fight strays, which are individuals that move differently from the basic goblin behavior pattern, and goblins that come from unexplored areas.

"The soil I smelled earlier had a mixture of the raw and green smell of goblin feces. It hasn't been long since it was excreted, and there seem to be quite a few. There are no prominent caves nearby, so there's probably an undiscovered hole somewhere."

It's probably not too far, so get ready for battle soon, Dil nodded in agreement while mulling over Kuri's words.

(Given that the exploration has progressed, but there are still undiscovered holes... it's probably because the adventurers are holding back information to some extent.)

It might be a good source of income, but it seems a bit wrong from a safety perspective.

If they were going to eradicate them and develop the area, it would be more beneficial in the long run.

Seeing a glimpse of the short-sighted and myopic nature of the adventurer profession, Dil felt a bit complicated as he continued forward.