"Arrrgh! I keep thinking about this, but why do I have to do it? Am I some kind of cartographer? Not that I mind since it's fun… I just don't understand! Why do I have to make sure those numbskull gnoll scouts won't get lost? Those bastards have good senses and excellent physical abilities, but how come they won't understand anything other than a detailed map! Hah! This is why we from the engineering battalion are suffering." The goblin scratched his head in annoyance. "Besides, why does someone from the engineering battalion have to draw a map? We're a battalion meant for equipment maintenance and supplies! We're the ones who are supposed to be getting the geography from the scouting party, not the other way around! Shit, this is why I don't understand those beasts. How are they any different than wild demons?"
The goblin shook his head. He was using a feather quill to draw a line on the map. Without a single stutter, the line's thickness changed with minute adjustments of strength in his hand. He smoothly drew out the outline of the map without a single moment of hesitation, despite his grumblings.
The meticulously drawn image was quickly being materialized through the goblin's unfaltering hands. A proper image from bird's-eye view was forming. It was more accurate than any other maps Tom had seen in the continent so far, a level of technique that humans could not replicate.
"Good! If I just draw a bit more…"
The goblin turned his head over his shoulder while sketching when he felt something strange. His thick, lengthy crooked nose sniffed and followed the unfamiliar smell.
"What? This smell? Human? It smells like humans…? But it might be a bit different…? Sniff Sniff… Sniff Sniff… Hm? It smells like it's right beside me…"
The goblin raised his head, and his eyes met with the apprentice Holy Knight whose head was sticking out of the bush. Tom saw the goblin and brightly smiled.
"Why, hello!"
"Oh… yes… Hello."
The goblin lowered his head in greeting, then turned back to his map.
"Now, should I get back to work… huh?"
The goblin realized something was weird and tilted his head.
'I thought I saw a human?'
The goblin's lips twitched. When he turned his head, the apprentice Holy Knight was staring intensely at him.
"…Human?!"
The goblin was so surprised that the feather quill he held fell out of his hand and onto the map. Thanks to that, the carefully drawn map became ruined.
"Nooo! My map! Before that, a human!"
The goblin quickly fell on his bottom, feeling jittery all over. Cold sweat appeared on his brow as he pointed toward the apprentice Holy Knight with his finger.
"You… You, what are you! Human? Why is there a human in this place!"
Tom came out of the bush, tidied away the leaves covering his body from head to toe, and shook the trembling goblin's hand.
"I didn't intend to surprise you… I'm sorry. Excuse me, but I wanted to ask for directions. Is that okay?"
"… Oi! Don't get all chummy with me, human! Just what are you! Saying 'Can I ask for directions' all politely like some passing dimwitted ogre scratching its head…?!"
"That's quite an interesting expression."
"Who gives a hoot if it's interesting! Answer my…"
The goblin looked curiously at the human's clothing. A white uniform with a silver quilted leather armor above it. While there wasn't a cross etched into it, he could tell that it was the quintessential uniform of the apprentice Holy Knights. He looked in such disbelief at the sight that his eyes twitched.
"H-holy Knight? Not even some adventurer, but a Holy Knight is talking to me?!"
"Yes, I am a lost Holy Knight. If it's not too inconvenient, the directions…"
"It's inconvenient, for sure! Even from before! Are you out of your mind?! You're not some adventurer, but a Holy Knight talking to a demon?! Aren't you the bastards that would normally draw your sword and lick it while laughing 'Oohehe! Let me drink your demon's blood!'"
"…It's a different interpretation than the Holy Knights I know, but are the Holy Knights nowadays really like that?"
Tom looked shocked, but the goblin only reached for his brow as though he felt a migraine coming on.
"This is a dream, right? A Holy Knight acting like he's completely ignoring me! No, could it be…! Is this sinister Holy Knight only acting polite to get me to put down my guard and stab me in the back? Et tu, Brute?"
"…I'm not really that bad? Also, do you even understand what you're saying?"
"I don't know! It's a language that you humans use! Why have you been talking to me normally since a while ago?!"
The goblin was struggling in confusion. Seeing this, Tom spoke sympathetically to the perplexed goblin.
"Now, what has caused you such confusion?"
"…Your tone is conflicting for starters."
The goblin was genuinely struggling with what the unfamiliar Holy Knight was saying. In reality, he had to pull out his weapon and be on guard whenever he saw a human, but he had lost the timing on that. More than anything, the human Holy Knight didn't appear to even have a weapon. The human didn't even think about attacking him, one of the 12 apostles, Kulvo.
He was still an apostle by title, and his pride wouldn't allow for him to attack an unarmed Holy Knight without any hostility.
'Let's just think about this carefully. The opponent is a Holy Knight, and I'm a demon. But, we're having a conversation? Wait, did I just say 'we'?! Now, let's take a step back and try to think about what his scheme is. Is he aiming for my back? No, he would've attacked me before I noticed him in that case! Then why? Wait, what did that Holy Knight say before?'
Kulvo turned to Tom to speak.
"Human, what did you say your goal was?"
***
Kulvo walked through the forest, feeling ridiculous. He looked at the terrain here and there in an attempt to regain his focus, then tried to continue drawing by placing his pen onto the map. Still, Kulvo felt cold sweat as he peeked at his back.
"Excuse me."
Kulvo saw Tom, who continued to follow him, and let out a sigh in exasperation. His opponent was extremely careful. He kept a polite distance between them in order to not get in his way, but also in consideration of the fact that Kulvo was wary of him. It was this attentiveness that made Kulvo even more confused.
"Just what are you!?"
"I'm here to simply ask for directions."
"Hah, Mr. Lost Holy Knight. If that's the case, why not ask that Almighty God you all believe in? Who knows, your God might say, 'Ah~ my poor lamb! I shall show you the way', and come down?"
Tom blinked at his words and gathered his hands to pray.
"Lord, Artarrk! I pray to thee to lead me to the right path!"
After a moment of silence, Tom looked at Kulvo with a smile.
"Seeing as there's no answer, God must be bad with directions as well."
"Tell me. You're not actually a Holy Knight, right?! Are you some adventurer cosplaying as a Holy Knight?! What a troublesome human! Won't you be tortured and killed if you were caught acting as a Holy Knight? Is it really alright to be so brazen?"
"No, I'm indeed a Holy Knight. Probably. I also have faith in God! Perhaps God is busy taking care of… other poor lambs?"
"Why wasn't that last part so smooth?! Also, don't ask me about it! Normally, Holy Knights don't talk about their God like that!"
"Well, it's just that my faith is so lacking… Truthfully, regardless of what God does, it's our faith in him that matters the most. As it is hard to expect a miracle during any hardship, I believe it's best to resolve it with your own strength."
"Now you're just openly admitting it?!"
"In any case, the directions…"
"Ugh…"
Kulvo shook his head.
'Don't get caught up in that Holy Knight's pace! At this rate, my headache will only get worse. Let's just tell him the directions.'
"Fine, I'll answer you! Lucky for you, I've drawn the geography, territories, and the roads of the Demon Kingdom and the Human Kingdom and have kept it all in my head! There is probably no one alive that could match me!"
Tom clapped as he watched Kulvo speaking so proudly.
"Oh! That's amazing."
When Tom clapped with genuine admiration in his face, Kulvo kept his chin up with great pride. As he did so, his body twitched, thinking back on himself.