"It's noisy."
Reika muttered while chewing on an apple. Her expression was also not very good. She may be young but she was also the daughter of the Lord. Even if she hated being the Lord's daughter and the cumbersome tasks that came along with that title, she knew the situation was dire.
"Is it a sign of something more to come?"
"Well."
Asher replied, swinging his sword. In the past, he would barely even bother worrying about a goblin, but not right now. To the people here, a goblin was the most terrifying monster in existence.
Anyone would be scared if a creature they had never seen before, was trying to kill them. All of the villages were in fear at the presence of the unknown. It was possible Lord Halvark didn't know yet, but Asher had noticed families trying to leave in the middle of the night. It was already becoming more and more difficult as the days were being counted down till their arrival.
"Do you think we can stop it?"
"Did you hear the number of goblins that are coming?"
"Well… about three hundred. That's it?"
"Three hundred is a lot for this territory right now."
There were only about two hundred combatants in the territory. Asher did the math, and the odds were against them as of right now. If the guards and warriors were experienced, and not in fear, this amount of goblins would be child's play. But as it was, it would be a massacre.
'You can't just leave it like this, Lord….'
This was the place that Asher had lived in and grew up in both lives. He did not plan to let mere goblins soil his hometown. He once had some few individuals he cared for, and this was their resting place. He would never allow such a thing to happen.
"Then, let's stop here for today. Take a good rest and don't try to stay up late. You'll need all the rest you can get."
"…I got it."
She seemed to feel a bit of worry for a moment, then replied. Reika left and Asher was then left there standing alone in the training area with a serious expression on his face.
"Then let's go give them a visit, shall we?"
Asher rubbed his forearms.
***
It was night time. There was an unpleasant and deafening atmosphere and tension present in the town. It was time to sleep, but very few people in the territory were actually sleeping. How could they sleep when they were worried about if they would even be alive the next day?
Asher was walking through the streets quietly as nobody was outside. There was the guard that was supposed to be guarding the gate diligently, but Asher looked at him and saw him trembling with fear. Asher decided to just climb over the wall since it was easier to do so with his own strength and it was more discreet.
"Well, where are you going?"
"Where?"
Asher picked up his sword reflexively at the sudden voice he heard in the woods. The owner of the voice slowly emerged from the shrubbery. Asher frowned as he recognized the figure.
"…Reika?"
"Where are you going so late at night?"
She smiled and took her sword out of its sheath. She was wearing a leather armor that sticks tightly and flexibly to her body. She assumed a battle posture and looked at Asher.
"Did you know I was going?"
"Hey. If you have such obvious eyes that scream you were going to do something about it, of course I would know. Are you going to go see those monsters called goblins? Can I come with you?"
Reika asked with a determined voice. Asher tightened his jaw as he thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Okay."
"…You accepted it more gently than I thought. If you didn't allow me to, I was just going to follow behind you anyways."
"That's why I allowed you to. If you're going to be so impulsive, then I might as well take you with me. But we don't have much time, let's hurry up and go."
Reika was strong. It would be her first time dealing with monsters, but she wouldn't be defeated by the likes of mere Goblins. Asher had trained her, himself. Not only that, but if the daughter of the Lord directly dealt with the goblins, the fear of the younger people within the territory would be reduced to some extent.
"…I got it."
"I don't know why you want to follow, but I'll tell you one last thing. You are responsible for your own life."
Asher's voice was heavy. This would be a real battle. It would not end with a light bruise like in their sparring sessions, but rather it would be a battle where her life would be constantly threatened. It was kill or be killed.
Reika's eyes sank for a moment at the reality of Asher's words but strengthened her grip on the sword she held in her hand.