As expected, Miriel’s sleep magic was brutal.
I even tried taking it myself to see what it was like, and when I came to, it was already morning. No, even though I braced myself for it, I did not feel it take effect at all. When I woke up, I did not even know why I had fallen asleep.
…That thing is dangerous. It is vicious enough to cause a loss of consciousness.
「This is no time to be trembling」
I blow the whistle briefly to call the boys and girls over.
「So? Did you manage to kill a lot?」
I knew rewards would come in, but since I was spreading surströmming, I did not really watch.
「Yes! I killed so many I lost count!」
「I never thought goblins could be hunted this easily」
「I should have brought more arrows」
The boys and girls chatter excitedly. I, a man in my early thirties, cannot keep up. Ah, is this what they call a generation gap…?
「Hey, goblin extermination is not over yet. Do not let your guard down. You are basically disciples of Rondario-san and the others. Do not bring shame to your masters」
「S-sorry! We will be careful!」
「Yeah. As expected of those who have been with Rondario-san. They trained you well. I should learn from that too」
I have not properly taught Marg, whom I took as a disciple, but I should learn from Rondario-san’s methods. We are going to bring in more young contracted members. Oh, maybe I could hire retired adventurers? Even if they are not strong, they should be able to teach the basics to beginners. I will think about it.
I have everyone show me their contracted member cards.
The one with the most kills is Migis. Next are Razul, Ryouna, Ruka, and then Bobus.
Since this is basically training, I have them each kill twenty goblins that Miriel put to sleep.
「Miriel, good work. Is your magic power okay?」
「No problem. I can easily do it four more times」
She can still do it four more times after that? Yeah, this girl really is on the level of someone who would travel alongside heroes.
「Alright, you lot. Now we restrain the goblins」
I retrieve some insulocks and bind the goblins with their hands behind their backs, fastening their wrists and ankles.
「Ah, you guys. Put on work gloves. You do not want to touch goblins with your bare hands, right?」
I pull out work gloves and hand them to the boys and girls. I switch from my half gloves to work gloves as well and help restrain the goblins.
Forty-six in total. Just luring them a bit and over a hundred gather up. This really is goblin-rich land.
「Alright. The guys will carry the goblins. The girls keep watch. Make sure to stay alert so we can focus on carrying them」
We are in the mountains. We have to watch out for monsters other than goblins too. If someone has to stay on guard, it should be the girls. Miriel has a gun. Ryouna has a bow. Ruka has magic. All long-range attacks. That means it is more efficient for the guys, who have the strength, to do the carrying.
A goblin usually weighs somewhere between thirty and fifty kilos. Higher-ranked ones, variants, or kings can easily exceed a hundred kilos, but these ones are a bit over thirty.
It is supposed to be harvest season, yet they are oddly light. They are about the same as the goblins we saw in winter.
「Takato-san, is something wrong?」
「No. These goblins are strangely light, so I was wondering why」
「Now that you mention it, the goblins that were with the higher-ranked ones were much fatter」
That is true. The goblins we exterminated with Rondario-san and the others had builds well over forty kilos. Was there more food back then? Or was it just the season?
The question lingers, but for now we focus on getting them to the Pioneer. It is two kilometers away. Whether we can transport all forty-six before dark is questionable. Well, no need to push ourselves too hard.
Even if they are light, dragging thirty kilos through the mountains is grueling. Just carrying one made sweat bead on my forehead.
「Make sure to drink water. After one more run, we will take a break. Miriel, did you see any monsters?」
「I saw several deer, but no monsters」
A deer, huh. Was it that one with the sharp antlers and scales on its back? If Marg and the others are chasing it, can we eat it?
「Did it look like it was going to attack?」
「No. It ran away as soon as it saw us」
Then it is prey, not a threat. No need to worry.
「Ruka, stay here and watch the goblins. Just in case, I want one person left who is still fresh. When we bring the next load, switch with Ryouna. After that, it is Miriel」
With that decided, we gave them water and calorie bars, then headed back to the place where we had restrained the goblins.
After three trips, the sun started to set.
「Takato, we are heading back」
I was wondering if we could manage one more run when Ladarion and the others appeared, already preparing to leave. So they had been commuting back and forth.
「Yeah, thanks for the hard work. We will camp here and head back tomorrow. Oh, sorry, but take these goblins with you」
There are five giant workers plus Ladarion and Marg. With that many, they should be able to carry two goblins each.
「Got it」
「Master, we hunted lots of deer, so eat this」
Marg placed a deer with its head crushed next to the Pioneer.
「You have gotten even better. A single shot to the head, huh」
Could I hit the head of prey that tries to flee so fast? He might already be better than me.
「Yeah! You train me every day!」
Only six years old, and already this diligent. What a kid.
「Thanks. We will eat it tonight」
It looks like the blood has already been drained. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper and slowly grill it over charcoal, and it should taste great. At least, that is how I imagine it.
「Alright. One more trip and we are done for today. Let’s go!」
With the energetic replies of the boys and girls behind me, we headed back to where the goblins were bound.
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