Translator: CinderTL
After confirming that Darco had fallen asleep again, Roland took the remaining half of the food and quietly left the cave.
He moved cautiously, slowly approaching the Red Squirrel that was gnawing on a pinecone. He stopped about three steps away.
Taking a deep breath, he activated his Animal Companion trait.
In an instant, a familiar cacophony flooded his mind like a tidal wave.
Roland frowned involuntarily, consciously trying to focus his scattered attention, just as he did when activating his focus trait.
Gradually, the chaotic noises began to fade, leaving only the sounds within a small radius.
Whew.
Roland exhaled deeply, calming his nerves.
Gazing at the Red Squirrel, still engrossed in its pinecone, he slowly raised his hand, carefully controlling his facial muscles to form his most friendly expression.
"Hello."
Before the words had even left his lips, the Red Squirrel suddenly raised its head in alarm, locking eyes with Roland.
In an instant, the little creature's messy fur bristled, and its beady green eyes widened to the size of beans.
Before Roland could react, the Red Squirrel decisively dropped its pinecone, tensed its hind legs, and prepared to flee.
Roland, having anticipated this, moved swiftly. With a single stride, he cupped the startled creature gently in his hands.
"Help! Help! Help!"
Under the effect of the [Animal Companion] trait, the high-pitched squeak transformed into clear human speech in Roland's mind.
"Relax, little one," Roland soothed, feeling the tiny life struggling in his palm. He adjusted his grip, supporting its body securely with one hand while the other gently stroked its fluffy back fur. "I just need a favor. I won't hurt you."
Roland lowered his voice, trying to sound as gentle as possible. "You can understand me, right?"
The Red Squirrel's struggles gradually subsided. It tilted its tiny head, its black-bean eyes filled with confusion.
"Two-Legged Beast... Wait, why can I understand you?" It suddenly widened its eyes. "Are you a squirrel too?"
This innocent question left Roland momentarily speechless. He opened his mouth, but ultimately decided to avoid the complex topic.
"That's not important, little one," Roland said carefully, placing the Red Squirrel back on the ground. He tapped its fluffy head lightly with his fingertip. "My name is Roland. What's yours?"
"Everyone calls me Joe."
Once Red Squirrel Joe confirmed the Two-Legged Beast had no ill intentions, he relaxed, his front paws naturally drooping in front of his chest. He tilted his head, studying the talking creature before him.
"Joe? That's a lovely name."
As he spoke, Roland smiled and pulled a slice of bread from his bag.
Unlike the black bread Roland usually ate, this was white bread, baked from the finest wheat flour and studded with nuts he couldn't name.
The moment the bread emerged, a rich aroma of wheat filled the air.
Joe's nose twitched rapidly, his round eyes glued to the tempting treat. Even his fluffy tail twitched with anticipation.
"Heh heh."
Seeing the little creature's ravenous expression, Roland couldn't help but chuckle.
He carefully tore off a small piece of bread, crumbled it into his palm, and slowly held it out to Joe.
"Don't be shy, eat up."
"Mmm..."
Joe's tiny nose twitched constantly, his gaze darting between the breadcrumbs and Roland. Though his mouth watered, he remained cautious, hesitating to approach.
"This little guy is quite wary," Roland thought. "I wonder, are squirrels really this intelligent?"
Seeing that Joe was still hesitant to eat, Roland shook his head helplessly.
He then picked up a few crumbs with his fingertips and popped them into his mouth, deliberately making a show of swallowing.
"See? It's not poisoned. Eat in peace."
Joe tilted its head and watched for a moment, confirming that Roland's mouth was clear of any food residue. Only then did it finally lower its guard.
With a joyful flick of its fluffy tail, it hopped forward, its tiny paws clinging to Roland's palm as it buried its head and began to feast.
In no time, the crumbs in Roland's palm were devoured completely.
Joe licked its paws with lingering satisfaction, carefully cleaning the crumbs from its whiskers before tilting its head back.
"You're different from the other Two-Legged Beasts. You're a good person."
It puffed out its fluffy little chest.
"Tell me, what do you need my help with?"
Relieved to have earned the Red Squirrel's trust, Roland let out a long breath and spoke earnestly.
"Joe, have you noticed the goblins in the forest? Those green-skinned creatures with sharp fangs and particularly ugly features?"
"Hmm..."
Joe lowered its head, scratching its head with a tiny paw. Suddenly, its eyes lit up.
"You mean those green monsters? I've seen them! They snuck into the forest last night, as if they were looking for something."
The little creature waved its tiny paws, gesturing frantically.
"They're everywhere, chopping down trees and digging holes, but..."
Joe suddenly paused, glancing cautiously at Roland.
"They're different from the Two-Legged Beasts. They don't seem to mean us any harm."
As if fearing Roland might misunderstand, Joe quickly added, "Of course, Roland, you're completely different from those Two-Legged Beasts. You're a good person!"
Receiving two "good person" cards in a row left Roland both amused and speechless.
As for how the terms "Two-Legged Beast" and "good person"—clearly reflecting racial differences—could coexist in the same sentence, he couldn't be bothered to overthink it. He chalked it up to the magical effects of the [Animal Companion] skill.
Shaking off these distractions, Roland spoke seriously.
"Joe, those goblins—the green monsters you mentioned—are attacking us. My companions and I need to avoid them and safely leave this forest. Could you help us scout out the goblins' patrol routes and keep us out of their sight?"
"Leave it to me!"
Joe puffed out his fluffy little chest, his bushy tail wagging excitedly. "Such a simple task! I'll go right away!"
Just as the man and the squirrel happily reached an agreement, a weak cough echoed from deep within the cave.
"Cough... cough... Roland."
Darco struggled to open his eyes. The pain throughout his body made it impossible for him to fall into deep sleep.
Hearing the call, Roland gave the Red Squirrel a few more instructions before deactivating his Animal Companion ability.
A wave of mild dizziness washed over him, and Roland instinctively rubbed his temples.
"It seems Animal Companion consumes far less mental energy than Focus."
Turning back to the cave, Roland asked with concern, "How did you rest?"
He uncorked his water flask and offered it to Darco, who was leaning against the rock wall.
"I doubt I can fight," Darco said, taking the flask. He tilted his head back and took several long gulps of water, his Adam's apple bobbing with each swallow.
Wiping the water from his chin, he managed a weak smile. "But I should be able to run."
"That's good. Let's pack up and get ready to leave." Roland reached out to help him stand.
With Roland's support, Darco managed to rise to his feet, gasping in pain.
"Do you have a way to avoid those goblins?"
"Yes." Roland nodded, then hesitated before simply saying, "Just follow me."
"No problem!"
After what had just happened, the young noble's trust in Roland was unshakable. He didn't even ask for details of the plan, but followed Roland's lead without hesitation.
The rest of the journey went smoothly. If it weren't for the goblin patrol teams they kept spotting while hiding in the shadows, Darco would have thought the goblins had already left the forest.
The only thing that puzzled him was the Red Squirrel that had appeared at Roland's side at some point. Watching the close bond between the man and the animal, Darco couldn't help but wonder.
"Does Roland like Red Squirrels as pets? Hmm... it's a bit strange, but maybe I should have the guards catch a few for him when we get back?"
Roland was completely oblivious to Darco's idle thoughts. He stood at a perfect distance from the young noble, speaking in a barely audible voice to Joe.
"You're saying there are three goblin patrol teams taking turns, leaving no gaps for us to slip through?"
"That's right."
Joe, perched on Roland's shoulder, waved his tiny paws.
"Are there any other paths out of the forest?"
"The other paths have even more green monsters."
"Tsk, I see."
After a soft smack of his lips, Roland made an instant decision, his eyes focusing intently ahead.
In a flash, his transparent Job Panel materialized before him.
"6.6 agility... so the feeling of my body becoming lighter wasn't just my imagination."
"I didn't expect adaptive training to increase my agility by a full two points in less than two hours."
After carefully assessing the changes in his body, Roland gave Red Squirrel a few instructions and gently placed him on the ground. Then, he turned back to Darco to explain his plan.
"We'll take out one of the patrol teams during the brief gap between their shifts. Isn't that too risky?"
Darco looked at Roland with concern, his voice laced with unease.
He wasn't doubting Roland's ability to kill goblins.
This plan required lightning-fast execution. The slightest hesitation would alert the goblins, leaving them surrounded and facing annihilation.
This was nothing like a typical goblin hunt—the difficulty was worlds apart.
"This is the only way," Roland said, ignoring the worry in Darco's eyes. He gripped his sword hilt tightly in his right hand and pointed forward with his left. "When I kill one of the goblin patrol teams, you come out and join me immediately. Then we'll keep moving forward. Got it?"
"Of course," Darco replied, but hesitated. His gaze drifted to his injured calf, and he nodded dejectedly. "Just... be careful, Roland."
"Don't worry. But don't rush out too soon, or I might not be able to protect you in the middle of a fight."
"Understood."
With their plan finalized, the two men moved silently toward their target—the dense thicket of bushes.
Through the dappled shadows of the trees, their figures, like forest phantoms, quickly vanished behind a thicket of dense shrubs.
Hidden in the damp undergrowth, Roland held his breath, observing the patrol patterns of three goblin squads.
He noticed a lame goblin at the rear of the left squad, causing the entire formation to become significantly looser.
Roland's body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
His agility stat of 6.6 was fully unleashed in that moment.
His first sword stroke sliced precisely through the goblin's throat.
Before the spray of blood had even settled in the air, his second strike pierced another goblin's heart.
As the third goblin's head flew through the air, the first two corpses had yet to fully hit the ground.
Only then did the remaining two goblins react.
One had just opened its mouth to scream when a thrown dagger pierced its throat.
The other stumbled backward, only to be met by Roland's swift advance and a sword thrust through its heart.
Ten seconds.
Five corpses.
"Unbelievable..."
Darco emerged from behind the bushes, his face etched with shock.
"Roland, I couldn't even follow your movements just now. You were too fast."
Roland didn't reply immediately.
He quickly checked each corpse, ensuring no one had survived, before speaking in a low voice.
"Let's go! Other patrol teams could arrive any moment!"
Darco finally snapped out of his daze and hurried to follow Roland.
By the time the first alarm horn sounded, the two had vanished deep into the dense forest.
"Circle around the edge of the forest, cross that clearing ahead, and you'll be out soon," Red Squirrel Joe said, shaking his fluffy tail.
Roland gently placed him on the ground and tapped his small head.
"Thank you, Joe."
"Do you want to come back with me? We could live together."
Joe's tiny paws fidgeted nervously, his black-bean eyes flickering with hesitation.
Silence hung in the air for a moment before he finally looked up.
"Roland, you're a good person. But I think... I'm better suited to living here."
"Alright, little one."
Roland nodded gently, not pressing the matter.
Then, he tore a piece of cloth from Darco's food bag, crumbled the remaining bread, wrapped it carefully, and tied it into a small bundle with twine. He placed it in front of Joe.
"This is a thank-you gift. See if you can carry it."
Joe's black eyes lit up instantly. It eagerly scooped up the bundle with its front paws, its tiny nose twitching constantly.
"I can carry it! I can carry it! It smells so good!"
It wagged its tail so hard it nearly spun in circles with excitement.
"Thank you, Roland! You're such a good person!"
"Alright, alright." Roland waved his hand, smiling helplessly. "We should go now. We'll meet again someday."
Joe clutched the small bundle, nodding reluctantly.
"Goodbye, Roland!"
With that, it nimbly scampered up the tree trunk and quickly disappeared into the dense forest.
"Let's go, Darco."
Roland turned to his companion, who had just stumbled over, and whispered, "Hold on a little longer. We'll be out of the forest soon."
"Heavenly Father!"
A faint flush of color finally returned to Darco's weary, pale face. "I can't stand another moment in this cursed place!"
The two men rallied their spirits and pressed on.
After an unknown amount of time, Roland suddenly stopped, his brow furrowing sharply. He could clearly hear the sharp clatter of metal on metal nearby, punctuated by the shrill shrieks of goblins and the muffled roars of humans.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion erupted.
The blast shook the treetops, sending leaves fluttering to the ground. A charred, acrid stench wafted through the forest breeze.
(End of the Chapter)
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