Gorg’s house was one of the largest in the village.
No, not just because he was a giant. It had a dining room that doubled as a living area, three separate rooms, and even a workshop outside. Calling it large was no exaggeration.
「We giants are valued by humans, so we earn a decent living.」
That made sense. With no heavy machinery in this world, giants would be indispensable. They could communicate clearly, use their hands with precision, and, in battle, serve as living weapons. Anyone with sense would pay well to keep such an ally on their side.
「You’ve got three kids, too. Seems like you’re getting along well with the humans.」
The children’s clothes, while not luxurious, were well-made and neatly sewn. If they were being persecuted, they wouldn’t be dressed like that.
「Yeah. It’s because we live in the frontier that we’re needed. The margrave here is a reasonable man, so he treats us well. We’re able to live comfortably.」
Good. So, he wasn’t one of those arrogant nobles. Not that I planned to meet him, but it’s better that way, less trouble for everyone.
「Your kids are still pretty young, huh.」
From what I could tell, they were about six, four, and an infant. Boy, girl, boy, apparently.
「Yeah, we’re still considered a young couple around here.」
I suppose in their thirties, they would be. Though I wasn’t sure what counted as “young” in this world.
That said, the kids were staring at me with intense curiosity. I’m not a toy, so please be gentle, alright?
「Sorry about that. There are humans in the village, but for safety, we keep our areas separate. So, it’s rare for the kids to see one up close.」
Yeah, letting little ones wander into the human area would be suicide. Even the six-year-old was twice my size. They could easily tear me apart.
…Thankfully, I was still safe in Ladarion’s arms.
「Guess it’d be better for me to live among humans. At your place, the kids might crush me.」
「That happens sometimes. That’s why children aren’t allowed to leave the village until they’re eight. If they do, an adult has to go with them, or they’ll be punished. There are guards stationed where the humans live, too.」
That sounds like surveillance to me. Are they really getting along as well as they say?
「We don’t mind living outside the village. Ladarion’s with me anyway. Please ask if we can get permission for that.」
「I see. Then let’s talk to the village chief while we’re at it.」
Greetings were an important part of communication between people. It wasn’t exactly moving in, but since we’d be relying on them for a while, it was only proper to introduce ourselves. Maybe I should’ve brought a gift.
「The village chief’s a human.」
「For the human side of Lasagna Village, yeah. The giants here are led by an elder. Well, let’s go.」
So, together with Gorg and his family, we headed toward the human quarter.
Between the giant and human sections ran a man-made river, wide enough that even a giant child couldn’t jump across, and the human side sat on a ten-meter-high embankment.
…Yeah, that definitely looks like surveillance to me.
When a bell, or maybe a small gong, rang out, a middle-aged man in a soldier’s uniform appeared at the end of a stair bridge.
「Gorg! You’re alive!」
「Yeah, these two helped me. Is the village chief there? Please call him for a moment.」
「Got it. Let’s have a drink later to celebrate your return.」
「Okay. I got some good sake, so I’ll serve it to you.」
He was probably talking about the wine I’d given him for his evening drinks. I’d handed over five or six bottles, after all.
The soldier left, and after about a minute, an elderly man with graying hair appeared, accompanied by several others.
「Gorg, I’m glad you made it back. We were worried about you.」
「Sorry to have worried you. I was searching for a Borod tree when I got bitten by a Mido, but these two saved me. As thanks, could you allow them to stay in the village for a while? They make a living hunting goblins, so I think that would benefit the village as well.」
He was being awfully polite. Maybe it was out of respect for the man’s age.
「Ladarion, put me down. It’d be rude to talk from up here.」
Being carried while greeting people was pretty embarrassing.
「……Understood.」
With a reluctant tone, Ladarion set me down, and I climbed up the stairs halfway across the bridge to stand before the village chief.
「It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Takato, and this is my partner, Ladarion. We make our living exterminating goblins.」
Since they do not have a handshake culture, I bowed at a forty-five degree angle, Japanese style.
「You are very polite. Are you from a foreign land?」
「Yes. But I spend my days exterminating goblins. I move east and west so much that I have forgotten where my hometown is. It has been a long time since I met people. I wandered the mountains so much I thought I would never see anyone again.」
I thought so until I met Mishinie.
「That sounds rough. If you hunt goblins for us, we will welcome you. Those things are truly troublesome.」
「Are they here too?」
「Yes. They are everywhere to the point of being annoying. Once every dozen years or so a king rises. Margrave-sama has his hands full too.」
Looks like I happened to hit that once-in-dozens-of-years timing. Damn that useless goddess, she dumped me in the worst place.
「If it was a king, I defeated it in an abandoned village a few days’ walk from here. I met an elf named Mishinie, an adventurer, so you can ask them if you need confirmation.」
「You defeated the king!?」
「It had about three to four times the body size of a normal goblin, so I thought it was the king.」
Well, it never declared itself king, so I can’t be certain.
「Are you some kind of hero?」
「I am a mere goblin exterminator. If I fought bare-handed I would even lose to that soldier over there. We defeated the king because we prepared carefully, set traps, and cooperated with Ladarion. Normally I can only manage to take on five or six at a time.」
By the way, right now I only have a Glock 19 and a knife under my jacket. Ladarion was carrying me.
「I-I see. If you are that capable, we will welcome you. Gorg, I will hear from you later as well. I will grant permission for Takato-dono. You are to look after him.」
With that, the village chief climbed up the stair bridge.
I figured Mishinie would find out anyway, so I told them we defeated the king, but I hope it does not become a hassle.
Well, whatever will be will be. I should make sure I can run away at any time.
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