The ensuing battle with the Goblins held little worth discussing. The greatest concern—protecting those unable to fight—was resolved smoothly.
From there, it was simply a matter of slowly cutting down the Goblins one by one.
With the skill and strength of the guards, those foolish Magical Beasts stood no chance.
The only real threat came from the D‑rank Elite Goblins, but Liam targeted them specifically and dispatched them quickly.
When half of their number had fallen, the Goblins grew fearful and turned to flee. But by then, it was far too late.
Unlike the wolves from before, the Goblins could not run fast. And in broad daylight, with no darkness to shield them, they became easy prey the moment they turned their backs.
The caravan, furious after repeated ambushes during the journey, vented their anger upon the Goblins.
Soon, every last one was slain. Not a single Goblin escaped.
In truth, had they not fled, they might have survived a little longer—or even inflicted minor wounds upon the guards as a final mark of defiance.
With the threat eliminated, the caravan hurried onward.
The corpses were too many to clear away, and the stench of blood would surely draw more dangerous Magical Beasts. If they did not leave quickly, they risked facing danger again.
Satisfied with the spectacle the Goblins had provided, Tris brushed off his hands and fetched water to wash both his and Rin's hands clean of grease from their snack.
Rest time was over; the two children returned to their grueling training and studies.
Witnessing the calm—even faintly amused—demeanor of the children as they observed the bloody violence outside, the three other passengers in the carriage could not help but shiver uneasily.
. . .
That night, as they prepared to sleep, Tris suddenly sensed danger.
Lying beside him, Rin noticed her Master's eyes wide open, staring at the carriage ceiling, lost in thought.
Finding it strange, she asked:
"What's wrong, Master?"
Tris: "Nothing. Just thinking how the wilderness of this world truly brims with danger."
Rin: "Magical Beasts again?"
Tris: "Not exactly. Demons, to be precise."
Rin: "Demons? Isn't that even more dangerous, Master?"
From her books, Rin knew Demons were a race both powerful and intelligent, equal to humans. They were infamous for their malice and cruelty. All this made them far more terrifying than Magical Beasts.
Rin: "Master, what should we do?" She asked urgently, seeking a plan.
Though she knew her Master was strong, she was not naïve enough to believe he was invincible. If the danger was too great, they might have to flee immediately—even in the dead of night.
Tris: "Go back to sleep."
With that, he closed his eyes and lay calmly as if nothing had happened.
Rin: "??"
Though still full of questions, Rin trusted her Master's judgment. She obeyed, shut her eyes, and tried to sleep.
Outside the carriage, a pink mist seeped mysteriously into the camp.
??: "So young, and already sleeping with a girl in his arms. What a bold little brat."
A woman's voice echoed nearby.
Yet the night guards seemed completely unaware, unable to hear it. The speaker spoke freely, knowing those in the camp could not perceive her presence.
But then, something unexpected happened. Someone else heard—and replied:
"If you want to eat, keep your mouth shut. And if you gorge yourself without restraint, don't expect to escape this place."
The answering voice whispered right into the woman's ear, its gender and age impossible to discern.
Realizing a dangerous being was present in the camp, the woman dared not jest further.
She prowled the camp, filled her belly, then slipped away as silently as she had come.
The night passed peacefully, without further disturbance.
At dawn, the caravan broke camp once more.
Curious, Rin looked around for signs of conflict from the night before.
But unlike the first night, when blood and battle marks were plain to see, this time there was nothing. No blood, no disturbed earth, no trace of struggle.
Everyone was safe and cheerful after a quiet night free of Magical Beasts. In fact, Rin noticed they seemed unusually happy—many wore broad smiles.
Yet some also looked oddly fatigued, their steps unsteady.
Knowing no one had fought through the night, Rin found this strange.
At breakfast, she asked her Master about it.
Tris: "Just drained dry. Nothing serious."
Rin: "(´･ω･`)?? Drained of what, Master?"
She watched him ponder, as though searching for the right answer.
'Master always explains things so clearly. Is this matter really so complicated?'
Her curiosity grew.
Tris: "I'll explain later when there's time. You'll need to learn about gender knowledge soon anyway."
Rin: "Gender knowledge? Does that have something to do with the Demon you mentioned yesterday?"
Tris: "Yes. That Demon targets men specifically."
Rin: "Only men? Why?"
Tris: "I'll hold a lesson later to explain. For now, keep practicing that technique."
Obediently, Rin returned to her training.
'How do people in this world even educate children?'
Tris wondered. He himself was just a child—an orphan, no less—and with his unusual gender, such knowledge was a blind spot for him.
Knowing something and knowing how to teach it were two very different matters.
As Tris wrestled with thoughts of lessons, the caravan pressed onward.
The rest of the morning passed quickly.
By noon, they had reached their destination: the city of Aldor.