Chapter 6: The Settlement Down the Hill.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
The voice came from a young petite girl clutching a mage's wand in her trembling hand, her eyes fixed on something in the distance with an expression that hovered somewhere between guilt and uncertainty. Behind her stood three others, a blonde guy with a broadsword hoisted casually over his shoulder, a slim, flat-chested black haired girl whose hair was trimmed neatly along her nape with two daggers sheathed at her sides.
With but a single look, one could tell that the three were a party of adventurer's. Which rose a sudden question, did that mean that the world Richard had been sent to, turn out to be a magical one.
If so, just how would he react to such a place.
"Would you please grow up, Madison," the black haired girl frowned at the young petite one, her voice dripping with impatience. "If you know you can't do it, then why did you form a party with us in the first place?"
Clearly, she disliked Madison lack of decisiveness. Well it was understandable since such things could get one killed or in some case, the entire party, depending on the situation.
Madison flinched at the harsh tone but didn't back down entirely, her grip on her wand tightening as she tried to find the right words to express what was bothering her. "No. No, no, that's not what I'm trying to say. I just... I just think that maybe there's a better way for us to complete the quest without having to resort to something this cruel."
Her attempt at persuasion only made the black haired girl, whose name was apparently Eva, look even more displeased than before, her lips pressing into a thin line as she glared at Madison like she was looking at a child who had just suggested something utterly ridiculous.
Though Madison was every bit annoyed adult like her, although some might find her similar to a loli due to her physical stature.
"Are you seriously trying to make this quest harder than it needs to be because of some filthy goblins?" Eva's voice rose slightly, her hands twitching at her sides.
"Hey," the blonde boy finally spoke up, his voice calm but carrying a warning underneath. "In case you two forgot, the goblin settlement is just down the hill, so maybe you should both lower your voices before something hears you and ruins the entire mission before it even starts."
True to his words, there was a small goblin settlement located just a short distance from where they were hiding, composed of roughly built straw houses arranged in a crude circle, with goblins of all ages moving about between them, all dressed in primitive clothing made from stitched together beast skins that looked like they had been worn for far too long without being replaced.
Hearing the blonde's warning, Eva frowned deeply but didn't say another word, though her glare at Madison remained firmly in place.
Tony, which seemed to be the blonde's name, glanced at Eva for a moment with an expression that was hard to read before turning his attention back to Madison, his posture relaxing slightly as he addressed her.
"Madison, I understand that this is your first mission and you haven't seen how things work yet, but we were given explicit orders from the Adventurer's Association," he said, keeping his voice low and measured. "Our job is to clear out as many of these monsters as possible, no matter the method, because every goblin left alive is another potential threat to travelers and villagers in the area."
He paused, letting that sink in before continuing. "If it's too much for you right now, then why not sit back and watch the both of us clear it out instead? Maybe then you'll get the hang of it and feel more prepared for the next mission."
From the looks of it, Madison seemed more like a new recruit to the once party of two. And judging by how he was so eager to have her, perhaps it meant mages were far more valued in adventurer parties than one thought.
Tony patted Madison on the shoulder with a light, reassuring smile that seemed to ease some of the tension in the young mage's shoulders.
Madison couldn't help but smile back at him, grateful for his understanding, while Eva on the other hand frowned even deeper, her expression turning sour in a way that made it clear she was anything but pleased with how this conversation was going.
'Just why does he keep siding with that little bitch?'
' Ever since this morning, he's been all over her. I don't understand, what does she have that I don't?!'
' Just because she's a mage?! I hate it!' Eva complained in her head, biting her lower lip in frustration as she watched Tony and Madison exchange smiles like she wasn't even standing there.
"No..." Madison finally spoke up, shaking her head as she seemed to come to a decision.
"You both don't need to go that far for me, I won't learn anything if I just sit back and watch while others do all the work."
She let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly as she continued. "I'm sorry for being too soft hearted. You're right, Tony, we can't do our job properly if I'm always holding you both back because I feel bad about every little thing."
Madison turned to glance at the goblin settlement in the distance, her expression hardening with resolve as she gripped her magical staff more firmly. "I'm ready. Let's do it."
"Alright, since you're willing and you've made your choice," Tony nodded with a smile of approval. "Just follow our lead and everything will be fine."
"But we're going to have to get a bit closer," Madison revealed with a shy look, suddenly aware of how much she was asking of her new party members. "I'm afraid my magical range isn't that wide yet, and I won't be able to hit anything from all the way up here."
Tony chuckled softly and patted his chest in reassurance, his broadsword glinting in the afternoon light. "You just leave that to us. Getting you close enough to cast is exactly what Eva and I are here for."