Just as I got out of the forest, dirt still clinging to my boots and the smell of blood refusing to leave my nose, I sprinted straight toward the adventurers' guild.
I didn't even stop to catch my breath.
I pushed the doors open and slammed my pouch onto the counter.
"I'm here to submit a quest," I said, trying to sound calm while still half-gasping for air.
The receptionist blinked once, then twice.
"…Sir, you may want to breathe first."
I inhaled. Deeply.
Then I submitted the loot I got and completed the lilies quest without further incident. After the paperwork was done, I leaned closer to the counter and lowered my voice.
"There's a goblin camp in the forest," I reported. "I scouted it. Rough estimate around twenty goblins. Scouts roaming nearby too."
The receptionist calmly nodded and began writing everything down.
No shouting.
No alarm bell.
No sudden mobilization of elite adventurers.
She just… nodded.
"Wait," I said, frowning. "Aren't you bothered by this?"
She looked up at me, expression neutral.
"As you can see," she said, tapping the guild board behind her, "goblins are E-rank monsters. A single C-rank party can wipe them out in half a day. We'll post a request tomorrow using your information."
"…That's it?"
"Yes."
(I see. I forgot how weak I am.)
This really is a power-fantasy world. For people stronger than me, goblins are barely more than pests.
"I see," I muttered, feeling a dull ache form in my chest.
For now, I'm still too weak to deal with what everyone else considers an insignificant issue.
I need to train more.
Maybe things will change once I master silent casting.
For now, I at least had enough money for food and rent for a few months, but not enough for proper equipment.
Still… if I could kill all those goblins myself…
Maybe then I could finally afford something decent.
I returned to the inn and ordered a meal.
Unfortunately, this time, no meat.
"I haven't hunted anything edible yet," I admitted.
The innkeeper sighed and placed a bowl in front of me.
"For now, fish."
I stared at it.
"…Fish it is."
Surprisingly, it wasn't bad. Light, clean, and filling enough.
After that, I rested.
Tomorrow would come soon enough.
The next day, I followed my usual routine.
Mana circulation.
Breathing control.
Casting practice.
My mana manipulation had improved. I could now silent-cast Water Ball up to five meters.
Not enough for real combat but still progress.
I couldn't help smiling a little.
Five meters… yesterday it was barely three.
Satisfied, I headed to school.
Miss Erica was there as usual, posture elegant, expression calm.
Still no reaction.
She probably still didn't know what Sebastian had been doing lately.
I'll keep an eye on them… at least until my school days end.
Then the bell rang.
"Wow," I muttered. "Time sure flies."
With free time on my hands, I headed straight to the weapon shop.
Maybe, just maybe, I could find something useful.
A buckler?
Bracers?
Both were far out of my budget.
For now, I had about three gold coins thanks to the extra Earth Boar tusk I sold.
Looking around the shop, I saw plenty of useful items, none of which I could afford.
The buckler I wanted was ten gold at minimum.
Bracers? Twenty.
Which made sense. In adventuring, survival is everything. Most parties save money to equip their tank first.
A loner like me was rare. Most adventurers would either recruit me immediately or tell me to stop being stupid.
Am I weak… or just untested?
Then I saw it.
A spiky, round metal object on the shelf.
It looked… very familiar.
Anyone who had ever hunted or even gone hiking back on Earth would recognize it instantly.
"…Is that a bear trap?"
I pointed at it.
"What's this, and how much?"
The shop owner glanced over.
"That's a horned rabbit trap," he said casually. "You place it near their nests, come back the next day, and see if you caught anything."
"…It's a bear trap."
"Different name," he shrugged. "Same result."
He continued, "It's effective for horned rabbits and small monsters. Useless against stronger ones."
"How much?"
"One gold."
I did the mental math.
No armor.
No shield.
But goblins have legs.
"I'll buy three."
I handed over my coins.
Inside, I was screaming.
(Here goes my gold…)
My heart ached like a father reluctantly sending his daughter off to a faraway university.
Before leaving, I asked, "Do you have stronger traps?"
"For now, only five Shock Traps."
He pointed to a circular device etched with a glowing magic circle.
"When activated, it releases lightning mana in the surrounding area. Stuns or kills weaker enemies. One-time use."
"…How much?"
"Five gold each."
He proudly raised his hand.
"…I see."
Yeah. No.
"For now, I'll stick with the horned rabbit traps."
I thanked him and left.
This time
I was ready.
I skipped the adventurers' guild and headed straight for the goblin camp.
Along the familiar path, I spotted two goblin scouts almost immediately.
They're multiplying fast…
No other goblins nearby.
I began chanting.
"O Lady of Eternal Flame, Goddess who dances in hearth and sun.."
The fireball formed and launched.
"Boom!"
Direct hit.
One goblin collapsed instantly. The other froze in shock.
A dagger pierced its chest.
Then another to the foot.
It screamed.
Before it could recover, I stabbed its head.
"At least I'm getting the hang of this."
I collected their left ears and moved on.
Four more goblins appeared ahead, wielding clubs and crude spears.
"If this were yesterday," I muttered, "I'd have run."
I quickly placed the traps near me, took several steps back, and began chanting again.
Fireballs are best against groups, but only if they hit.
"O Lady of Eternal Flame "
Boom!
One goblin fell.
I didn't stop.
"Fire Ball!"
Boom!
Another down.
"Fire Ball!"
I was starting to feel like a pyromaniac.
Some shots hit. Some missed.
Three goblins were down.
The last one nearly reached me
Then suddenly…
Clang!
It collapsed like a scarecrow caught in a storm.
The trap snapped shut.
I didn't hesitate.
"Fire Ball!"
Boom!
All six goblins lay dead.
"…Six today."
Not bad.
I still had plenty of mana, but I decided to rest.
I sat by the river, ate my rations, and let my breathing slow.
Then..
Shouts.
Shrieks.
I froze.
Crouching in a bush, I peeked through the leaves.
Goblins.
Wolves.
Fighting.
To get a better view, I climbed a nearby tree.
Five wolves.
Fifteen goblins.
Engaged in a brutal clash.
"…What a mess," I whispered.
And unknowingly, opportunity had just presented itself.