Suddenly, there was a sharp, high-pitched scream that rang out from outside the training area. Reika jerked her head along with Asher in the direction of the scream.
"What was that Asher?"
"We'll find out soon."
Asher put the sword inside it's sheath and calmly walked outside the training area. Near the gate leading out from the estate, there was seemingly a band of merchants that were shouting at the people around them, terrifying them.
"I know what I saw! And crazy as it seems, it's true! Those little things attacked us!"
"What's going on?", Reika asked as she and Asher had approached the commotion.
"Oh, Lady Reika."
As Reika approached, the guards near the gate bowed politely. She was probably the most polite noble these common people had met; a stark contrast to the heir of the estate Luke, who had gone silent ever since the encounter with Asher.
"Your name is Luban, right? What's wrong? And why is the number of people with you so small this time?"
Reika knew his face because he often came to the top of the estate to do trade with their territory as a merchant. It was normally a fairly large troupe that was guarded by high numbers of mercenaries.
But now she couldn't even see ten people around him. Luban, the merchant atop his carriage frighteningly and unknowingly raised his voice as his face paled, remembering what he had seen.
"Monsters, monsters! W-We faced monsters that attacked us!"
"Huh, monsters? What do you mean?"
Reika's face crumpled. It was the first time she had heard something so ridiculous coming out of this man's mouth.
"I don't even know anymore…ahh- ahhh! There were so many of them! Small little ferocious creatures. Monsters I tell you!"
"Calm down."
Reika grabbed the sword by her waist and spat out in a cold voice.
"Sit down and talk coherently please. Describe to me exactly what you saw."
The shaking eyes of Luban gradually subsided. He slowly opened his mouth.
"…I'm not sure either. They weren't human, but not beasts either. They killed the mercenaries with us and looted our wagon. We've managed to escape.. but Ugh…."
He clattered his teeth. They were neither humans nor beasts? Reika tilted her head in confusion.
"That."
Asher, who was still listening, opened his mouth. It suddenly became deathly quiet when he spoke. He asked calmly.
"Were their skin green and did they have long ears?"
"Oh, that's right. How could you…."
"It's a Goblin."
"Goblin? What's that?"
'It's already happening.'
Asher sighed quietly.
***
Fifty years ago, Ian the Brave had shouted with his sword stuck in the chest of the Demon Lord, who had opened a rift into their world.
"You will either die here by my sword, or you will go back to where you came from. Those are your only two options."
The Demon Lord at that time replied with a cruel grin on its face,
"It's your victory for now you human, but just wait…. Enjoy your peace while it lasts."
At the same time, all the demons and monsters that had come through the rift were transported along with the Demon Lord as he fled with his wounds. As the Demons fled with the Demon Lord, the world also forgot the existence of the monsters that had come through the rift.
They had been terrorizing humanity for hundreds of years, but when they were eradicated over 50 years ago, humanity wanted to forget the scars they had left, and forced themselves to forget and their future generations.
If the peace had lasted forever, it wouldn't have been bad to do so. However, peace wasn't and it was clear to Asher. Humanity was going to pay the price for forcing themselves to forget, and it would be huge.
"So what are we supposed to do?"
"Monsters? What are you talking about…."
"Are they animals or not?"
"I was told it was a Goblin. I think I heard about them when I was a kid…."
In an instant, the estate became a loud and crazed atmosphere. Those who vaguely remembered and those who forgot about the monsters completely, began to argue with each other.
"…do we have to fight them?"
There was a sudden silence when someone's words were spoken. The eyes of those who all stopped their squabbling, were filled with fear at those words.
The Halvark estate was near the capital, so it was far from being a warzone. There were guards on standby at the territory, but none of them had any actual combat experience and were only managing security.
Asher sighed lightly at the sight of the frightened workers and townspeople outside. Maybe the other noble territories weren't that different.
"Just let the guards deal with them…."
"How could you say that?"
"My son is a guard! You want my son to fight those things?!"
"Isn't that the guards duty you idiot?!"
"What's wrong with you…!"
"Quiet!"
Reika frowned and shouted loudly. The workers and townspeople gathered outside the estate went silent.
"Nothing is certain for now. They might come here, or they might just be passing by. First, send someone to inform the capital. Everyone else should go back to their places and get some rest. Luban and your people can come with us to the estate since you do not have anywhere to stay right now."
"…I see."
The people were dispersed. Asher clicked his tongue as he saw the fear in their eyes.
Humanity was scared of a fucking goblin? Just how weak had they become? Asher was disgusted at this.
'Ian, if you're still alive, please come back.'
Suddenly, the last words of the Demon Lord that Ian had told Asher about, came to mind.
'Humanity should enjoy their peace. But it won't last forever.'
And the words were now being proven to be true. Asher looked around him and felt his eyes turn cold.