Moments after Tessa's training with the guild master, Alder Maul, Outside, a small group of three siblings make their way to the guild. Two walked while the third floated nearby above them on a large sword fiddling with her wand in hand.
"Brother Bart. Do we really need to be here right now? Sister Lilac just said we need to rest for another month before we go out again for a mission. They won't take our badges because of this since we didn't severely hurt this time."
"We're not going for a mission, we just need to find the one that saved us. As a Locklorn, we must abide by the house law to return any and all favors."
"We can always do that after we fully recover! Come on now. Not only were our souls captured, but we received a heavy amount of damage from the sudden mass attack from the treelings during our escort trial. Not to mention I still need to Write a report about the mission during our leave~."
"No can do. We find them as soon as possible. I need to know if what we were told at the green church was true."
"Y-you mean that it was a goblin?"
"Yes. And we must get to the guild as soon as possible."
"And if the goblin isn't there right now?"
"Then we come back tomorrow."
"And if they're not there tomorrow."
"Then we go the day after."
"Are we ever gonna rest properly??"
The trio continue down the road until the floating one spots a goblin that fit the description they were given walking into the goblin alley. But the feeling she got from them was odd. "Hey brothers. Is that the one we're looking for?"
"What!? Where!?" the largest sibling, looks around frantically.
"Over by the goblin alley there. They fit the discrip-!!" before the sister finished her sentence, the largest sibling rushes off to chase down the goblin she spotted. "Tion~..."
"And he's gone. *sigh~* Bart!! Wait for us! You need to calm down or you'll hurt yourself again~!!"
The other siblings rush after him. In the alley, the goblin the sister spotted wanders the alley aimlessly, looking around in wonder until they hear someone call to them.
"Hey! Wait there!" the largest calls out. "I would like to have a word with you, goblin!"
The goblin turns around and the look they gave the largest sibling made him stop with a skid. The other two following behind finally catch up.
"Urgh. Bartibus! Jeez, give us a warning before you take off after a stranger. Didn't dad always tell you to be careful around strangers?"
Bartibus ignores his brother since he couldn't look away from the goblin in front of him, who simply stared back. Bartibus finally clears his throat and stands tall and firm.
"... ehem. Are you the goblin named Tessa?" the goblin looks at him for a long while before tilting their head to the question.
"... No. I not be of that name." The goblins' raspy voice sounded as if he had water in his throat. "What be your business with me?"
"Uh…"
"See? You got the wrong goblin, didn't you. You should have waited at the church for news like we were told."
"Oh hush, Lotus. It was a simple error, is all. You wouldn't know a goblin named Tessa, would you? This goblin looks a lot like you as far as I'm led to believe."
"Izat so? Not be a lot of goblins like meself round this lands. You sure you not mistaking us for looking similar green?"
"Huh?"
"Oh brother." the one floating above them calls for their attention. "He seems to be asking if you didn't mistake him for the ones we normally see around here. Like the mouse or sand goblins we see a lot of."
"Absolutely not. I know what those goblins look like and there's only one other goblin that doesn't fit their description. Slightly smaller in stature with smoother skin, a button nose, long woodland ears and tight jawline. They don't have hair on their head yet, which makes them a youngling right?"
"Not all hairless ones be younglings, good lad." the goblin interrupts. "I can understand now that you didn't make a mistake in finding the one you described. But I'm afraid I ain't the one ya be looking for."
"That can't be right. You're the only other one that fits that description."
"Not really. There be many of my own in this land, they just be few in numbers, is all. Shouldn't be too hard to spot the lass if she look like me."
"How can you tell the one we're looking for is a girl?"
"By her name. Ya don't be finding males round here with a name like that, now do you?"
"I take offense to that." Lotus responds.
"No offence be making here, lad, so I do apologize to you."
"Uh-huh."
"Anyway, surely you must know something about the one named tessa."
"Not all goblins run in droves, lad. My kind specifically don't. So you're out of luck running to me for help. Sorry."
"Ugh. you gotta be kidding."
"Now what do we do, big brother?"
"We keep looking. I'm not going to let this throw me off my goal."
"Well yes, but, brother Bart… we don't know how to get back to the main road from here. And I'm running low on power too."
"Uh… *sigh*. I'm sorry Lilac."
Lilac floats down to the ground and lands with a tired huff. "You know you should really listen to people when they tell to do something before you go off and decide to go on a head hunt on your own."
"We are Locklorn! We pay back our dues as soon we are able!"
"Yeah, but your haste just wasted a lot of this poor goblin's time as well as our own, when we should be resting in bed, knucklehead."
"Kch?"
"... Would you like a guide back to the main road?"
"Could you?!"
"Hold on, Bart! Jeez…"
"No offence, but you seemed a bit lost yourself."
"I do be new here indeed but I can at least take you back to where I came from."
"... that will do then. Thank you for your trouble, good goblin."
"Aye. not at all. A bit of company never hurt."
The trio follow the strange goblin to back through the alley.
"By the way, I've never seen a goblin like you before. What breed are you?"
"Did you not say before that you be looking for one like me? Yet you don't know what goblin they are?"
"Unfortunately no. you appearance isn't really common in this city, but it was the only thing we we're given since it was so rare."
"Ah. I see. Well, to sate your curiosity, I be known as a dragonjaw. A more recent breed of goblin born of soil."
"A recent born. So you are a youngling then?"
"No. I be much too old to be called a youngling."
"Oh. you must be around twenty then right?"
"No. I be near seventy this year."
"... WHAT!?!"
"Myehahahah! Aye, I be seen as ancient in goblin years, I know. But our breed be around just as long. Only for a century have the dragonjaw romed lands."
"Wait doesn't that mean… you're feral??"
The goblin stops in front of an entry that puts them directly in front of the adventurers guild as soon as Lotus asked his question.
"... Aye. we all be feral. But we all be more intelligent than a normal feral goblin if raised in the right environment. And I think the one you be seeking out was raised very well, if you owe her a dept."
"... indeed. Thank you for your guidance, elder."
"Uh! H-hold on! Bart what do we give this guy since he helped us back to the guild?"
"Uh!!"
"*Sigh*" Lilac sighs and pulls a necklace and a small sack of coin out of her large hat and hands them to the dragonjaw goblin. She puts the necklace around the goblins neck and scratches his chin for some reason. "There. Now we don't owe you and you can use that to contact us if you need help. How's that sound?"
"It feels a bit much for me, but I appreciate the gesture nonetheless. Thank you, lass."
"Thank you for being such a thoughtful gentleman, despite being a chaotic child."
"Myeheh. Well I was raised that way. Good luck to you ya' all."
"Stay safe, sweetie."
Lilac's last farewell made the goblin jitter and back away into the alley with his ears down as he rushed into the alley. Bartibus and Lotus wait for Lilac to follow them into the guild.
"That was an odd experience."
"I liked that little adventure."
"But we're back to square one."
"Not really. We now know exactly who we're looking for now. So finding the new adventurer goblin should be really easy now. Right, brother bart…? Brother?"
"Ugh. where did he run off to this time??"
Before the two realized, Bartibus had already found the goblin they were looking for and got her attention. "Are you the goblin known as Tessa?"