After the goblin fiasco, I concept maybe, just maybe, existence could settle down. I turned into wrong.
"Haruto! You're again!" A acquainted voice rang out as I walked into the village rectangular. It was Kaede, the nearby blacksmith's daughter, strolling closer to me with an excited expression on her face. She turned into round my age, with quick brown hair and a sensible look approximately her—constantly smudged with soot from working at her father's shop.
"Yeah, I'm lower back," I stated, trying to sound informal as though I hadn't simply nearly been was goblin food.
"How was it?" Kaede asked, bouncing on the balls of her ft. "I heard you fought off an entire bunch of goblins! That's so cool!"
I blinked. "Well, I imply, I helped… a bit. The guards did maximum of the paintings."
Kaede waved her hand dismissively. "Don't be so modest! You're a hero now, Haruto!"
I may want to experience my face turning purple. Hero? That become in reality overselling what occurred. "I just don't want people getting the incorrect concept. It became chaotic, and I slightly knew what I became doing."
Kaede grinned and gave me a playful nudge. "You'll determine it out. Everyone starts somewhere, proper?"
"Right…" I muttered, nevertheless no longer absolutely satisfied. Before I ought to say some thing else, Kaede pulled me by using the arm.
"Come on, allow's grab a few meals. You've earned it, hero!" she said with a wink.
"Can we drop the 'hero' element, please?" I groaned, but she omitted me and continued dragging me closer to the tavern.
As we entered, the nice and cozy fragrance of roasted meat and fresh bread stuffed the air. The tavern became energetic, full of chatter and laughter, and I could see the guards from earlier sitting at a desk, already raising their mugs to have a good time their victory over the goblins.
"Haruto!" Arik called out from across the room. "Join us! We're celebrating."
"Guess I don't have a preference," I muttered, and Kaede laughed as she shoved me toward their table.
The guards made room for me, and I found myself surrounded with the aid of the identical men who had saved my skin earlier that day. They appeared in lots better spirits now that the goblin trouble had been treated, though I wasn't pretty sure if that was because of the fulfillment or the large quantities of ale they have been downing.
"To Haruto, our new goblin slayer!" Arik shouted, raising his mug excessive.
I speedy waved my palms. "Wait, wait, I didn't slay any goblins! You guys did all of the difficult work."
"Nonsense!" one of the different guards, Hiroshi, bellowed. "You helped! That counts for some thing!"
I sighed. "I virtually didn't do that a good deal…"
"Let the man be modest!" Hiroshi grinned. "It simply makes him more heroic."
I shot Kaede a look, who changed into laughing in the back of her hand. "This is your fault," I mumbled underneath my breath.
Before long, the communication shifted faraway from goblins, luckily, and the guards started out speaking about other troubles the village would possibly face. Apparently, goblins were simply the top of the iceberg. There have been rumors of bandits within the hills, wild beasts attacking vacationers, and—of direction—more monsters lurking inside the forests.
"Great," I muttered, "simply what I wished."
"You sound excited," Kaede teased, leaning in closer. "Not geared up to turn out to be a full-time adventurer but?"
"No thank you," I responded speedy. "I like my lifestyles easy and monster-unfastened."
"Good good fortune with that." She smirked. "You've were given that look about you, you realize?"
I raised an eyebrow. "What appearance?"
"The form of guy who can't keep away from problem although he attempts," Kaede said, her eyes twinkling with enjoyment.
I groaned, rubbing my face. "That's the closing component I want."
As if to prove her factor, the door to the tavern flew open with a noisy bang, and a person sporting leather armor and looking pretty frantic stormed in.
"Help! We want assist!" he shouted, his voice complete of urgency. The entire room fell silent, all eyes turning towards the person.
Arik stood up, already on high alert. "What's the problem?"
"It's the forest," the person gasped, catching his breath. "A % of dire wolves! They've been noticed near the southern edge, heading toward the village."
"Dire wolves?" one of the guards muttered, his face paling. "That's not suitable."
Arik nodded grimly. "If they get too close to the village, we'll be in severe trouble. We'll want to cope with them rapid."
I sat there, seeking to method the situation. More monsters? Already? Seriously?
Kaede noticed my expression and nudged me again. "Looks such as you're no longer accomplished with adventure yet, Haruto."
I shot her a glare. "I swear, that is your fault by some means."
She simply smiled. "I'll go get my father. If we want to boost the defenses, he can help with the barricades."
As Kaede hurried off, Arik became to me. "Haruto, we may want to use a further set of hands. You in?"
I opened my mouth to refuse, to say some thing approximately how I actually wasn't reduce out for this, but then I caught the appearance on Arik's face. He wasn't just asking; he become relying on me.
"Alright," I sighed, standing up. "I'm in. But simply so we're clean—I'm no longer a hero."
Arik chuckled. "You maintain saying that, however movements communicate louder than words."
I shook my head, still feeling like I'd by hook or by crook gotten roped into something I wasn't organized for. But there has been no time to reflect onconsideration on it. The guards were already grabbing their guns and heading out the door, and I observed them, hoping I wouldn't regret this decision.
The solar become setting by the point we reached the southern fringe of the forest. The air become thick with tension, and I should pay attention remote howls that sent chills down my spine.
"We'll cut up up and attempt to pressure them faraway from the village," Arik defined, his face grim. "Haruto, stay close to me. If matters get too risky, don't hesitate to fall again."
"Don't worry, I'm proper at walking away," I responded dryly, incomes a snort from Arik.
The wooded area changed into dark, the trees casting long shadows that seemed to move in the fading mild. The howls have been getting nearer now, and I ought to experience my heart racing.
Suddenly, there was movement up ahead—a blur of fur and fangs. The dire wolves.
"They're here!" one of the guards shouted.
Arik raised his sword. "Hold your floor!"
The wolves charged at us, their eyes glowing in the dim light. The guards moved quickly, forming a shielding line, but the wolves were rapid and ferocious, their enamel snapping at anything in attain.
"Haruto, stay returned!" Arik shouted as he swung his sword at one of the wolves.
I nodded, gripping my makeshift weapon—a strong branch I had picked up alongside the way. As lots as I desired to live out of the combat, I knew I couldn't just stand by and do not anything.
One of the wolves broke through the line and lunged at me. I swung the department as hard as I may want to, catching the wolf within the facet. It yelped and backed off, but I knew it wasn't over but.
"Keep your head up!" Arik called out, nonetheless preventing off another wolf.
"Yeah, yeah!" I shouted returned, my heart pounding. "I'm trying!"
The wolves saved coming, and I found out, with a sinking feeling, that this became just the beginning