The birthing chamber was where the goblins moved women whose pregnancies were too advanced—when they could no longer be used without risking the lives of the unborn.
They were taken there to give birth.
It was still a cell, but not quite like the others.
It was cleaner. Better maintained in an almost ironic way. The walls were less damp, the straw freshly replaced, and a crude cot stood in the center. Just enough to ensure a pregnant woman would not die before fulfilling her purpose.
Several women, burdened with advanced pregnancies, were kept there.
Empty eyes. Torn, filthy clothing. Bodies marked by mistreatment.
In a more secluded section of the chamber, there was one woman who was different.
Silver hair—now dirty and tangled. If one looked closely, the difference was clear. Though her body bore signs of captivity like the others, her eyes were not lifeless.
They shone.
Not with hope… but with something distorted.
Her waist moved back and forth.
Her movements were slow, almost automatic, as if her body had learned to respond without thought.
It was Luna.
Suddenly, her breathing grew uneven. Sweat clung to her skin.
The time had come.
As a lycanthrope, her body was far more resilient than that of an ordinary human woman. Because of this, the birth passed without severe complications. There were no prolonged screams. No desperate pleas.
Only restrained gasps.
And then—
The sharp cries of several newborns.
Goblins.
When her labor began, the guards informed the leader.
Ordinarily, no one cared to witness such events. What mattered was that once the process was complete, the woman could eventually be returned to her role.
But she was not just anyone.
She was the personal breeder of the goblin leader.
The leader arrived and watched everything in silence.
His small eyes showed no emotion as he looked upon the creatures that had just been born. No pride. No affection.
Only calculation.
When the last infant entered the world, he raised a hand and gave a short command.
Other goblins stepped forward and collected the newborns one by one.
Despite being their progenitor, the leader did not grant them a second glance.
In his world, there were no family bonds.
His attention shifted back to Luna.
His eyes once again gleamed with that unnatural light.
She noticed… and instead of fear, something like anticipation flickered across her face.
Point of View: ???
The green-skinned baby tried to open his eyes for the first time.
The light was blurred. Diffused.
Through the haze, he saw a face leaning over him.
Female.
Silver hair.
Soft features, exhausted… and still beautiful.
Where am I? he thought.
Then a memory pierced through him.
A sudden understanding.
Ah… this is my mother.
A strange warmth filled his tiny chest.
How beautiful my mom is in this life.
An invisible smile formed within his infant consciousness.
With a mother like that… I'll surely grow strong. Maybe even handsome. Maybe this time I'll have a bright future waiting for me.
He clenched his tiny fists.
I've been given a second chance… and I won't waste it.
In his mind, he raised his fist toward the sky.
But fatigue came quickly. His eyelids grew heavy, and his vision darkened.
Then he felt hands.
Rough.
Cold.
The goblins began gathering the newborns.
Summoning what little strength he had, the baby forced his eyes open once more.
And froze.
Green creatures surrounded him.
What the hell is this? he thought in horror. How can beings this grotesque even exist?
Short. Twisted. Green.
A thought struck him like lightning.
Wait…
It can't be.
They're goblins.
His heart pounded wildly as he tried to turn his head toward the other newborns.
The sight devastated him.
Tiny warped faces. Deformed features. Miniature reflections of the creatures holding them.
A terrible suspicion formed in his mind.
With desperate effort, he lifted one trembling hand before his eyes.
Green.
His skin was green.
His mind went blank.
No…
Could it be that I also…?
The truth pierced him mercilessly.
He had been reincarnated as a goblin.
The light in his eyes dimmed.
Then he remembered the words of the goddess who had granted him this second life. This world was the setting of the last novel he had read:
"Reincarnated as the Villain in the Novel of the Overpowered Extra."
And in that world…
Goblins were among the weakest of creatures.
So insignificant that they survived only as practice targets for novice adventurers. And once they were no longer useful…
They became resources.
Nothing more.
The newborn goblin's heart shattered.
No…
I don't want to end like that.
His scream did not leave his throat, but echoed within the depths of his mind:
Damn it! I don't want to die at the hands of arrogant students or end up as something disposable!