That was the agenda of the entity that had brought me to this world.
“By the way, when is our practice starting?”
“Not anytime soon.”
“…Weren’t we on a trip?”
“This is the safest place in the South. If we have to fight, it’ll be a crisis involving the entire continent. You understand?”
This was the southernmost line of defense, and the Eritz family was doing a pretty great job of defending it. If this place were attacked, it would mean that the capital of the empire could also be threatened, even by a slight advance.
In other words, it would spell the crisis at the level of human extinction.
“Then… there’s no chance of an attack here, right?”
“Absolutely not.”
Stella was confident—there would never be a raid here.
At her words, I smiled slightly and glanced at Noah.
Initially, I thought the original story had been altered by Stella’s involvement, but… it probably wasn’t that simple.
‘You’re raising a death flag.’
Three words should never be used in a story: absolute, invincible, and 100%.
Claiming that a territory was “invincible” only increased the likelihood of an attack. It was like tempting fate—a guarantee of trouble.
“…By the way, what did you talk about with my father?”
“With the duke?”
“Yes.”
As she flicked through her drink, she brought up the interaction between me and the duke, the head of the Eritz family. It seemed to be a topic of interest, and I noticed both Noah and Senior Dinua listening closely.
I hesitated briefly, then decided to share what the duke had told me.
“Don’t cross the line.”
“…?”
“Stella, you seem to have fallen for me, but I have no intention of reciprocating. So don’t even dream about it.”
“W-What are you talking about?!”
Stella’s face flushed as red as a ripe apple. She shot up from her seat, causing the eyes of everyone around us to shift in our direction.
Realizing the attention she had drawn, Stella quickly sat down and tried to regain her composure, taking in shaky breaths.
“Did my father really say that?” she asked cautiously.
“Yeah.”
“N-No way! I would never fall for someone like you! So don’t misunderstand!”
“I know.”
“…You do?”
For a moment, Stella’s expression froze.
I nodded, elaborating with a grin.
“Of course. You hate me so much there’s no way you’d fall for me, right?”
“That’s…right.”
“I’m not stupid, you know.”
“Silly.”
Noah, who had been quietly observing, shook her head with a look of exasperation.
“I think you *are* stupid,” she muttered.
“What do you mean, Noah? How am I stupid?”
Noah gave me a tired expression, one that suggested she hadn’t expected me to be this dense.
“You really don’t know?”
Confused, I tilted my head, not understanding what she was getting at.
Why was she looking at me like that?
***
“Nice to meet you. I am Viscount Mud, a vassal of the Duke of Eritz.”
The viscount served under the duke, commanding the entire southern region. Though he was a 2-star Summoner—considered powerful in rural areas—here, he was merely another valuable resource among many.
Even though he was assigned to assist in educating the duke’s daughter, there were no complaints.
“I don’t know if I can teach 3-star Summoners, but… I’ll do my best.”
“What? Where did everyone else go? My father even took Ifrit…”
“They went on a regular expedition. They won’t be back for three days.”
“Okay.”
Despite his politeness, I could sense his hesitation. We were still students, but our future roles were set. One day, we would hold titles at least as high as counts, but that was a matter for the future, so there was no need for such formality.
I raised my hand casually, trying to ease the tension.
“What’s your summon?”
“Ah—Young Master, let me show you. Come, Red Hawk.”
A massive hawk descended onto his forearm, its talons digging into his sleeve. The summon was impressive, large enough to kill a wild boar with ease.
Viscount Mud began explaining the bird’s characteristics.
“It’s fast, making it excellent for reconnaissance, ambushes, and scouting.”
“Is its combat ability strong?”
“Though it can fight like a 2-star summon, it’s mainly useful against weaker monsters. Its real strength lies in strategy.”
He emphasized the bird’s speed and keen sight, which made it invaluable for gathering intelligence. No other flying beast could match it in aerial scouting.
“This summon can even take down monsters on its own,” he added.
I nodded, realizing the utility of the 2-star summon.
‘…It’s like a strategic reconnaissance plane.’
After all, in this world—much like in ours—summons weren’t limited to combat. A beast that breathed fire could power a thermal plant. A summon capable of generating electricity could be used to supply energy, though such technologies didn’t exist here yet.
The key was that summoned creatures had uses beyond battle. Human creativity was limitless.
“Sir.”
“Yes, Cadet Ian?”
“You called me ‘Young Master’? What was that about?”
“Uh…Wasn’t it?”
The viscount shifted awkwardly, stealing a glance at Stella.
By the look on his face, I could tell what had happened. News of Stella’s outburst at the restaurant had already spread throughout the mansion.
Rumors never stayed true to the original story. By the time they passed through multiple people, they could change entirely.
The viscount must have heard that Stella had fallen for me and that I was now the heir to the Eritz family.
“Viscount Mud.”
“Yes, Lady Stella?”
“I’m curious. What exactly did you hear that made you call Ian ‘Young Master’?”
“I… Well, that is…”
The viscount fidgeted nervously, like a criminal awaiting judgment.
Seeing his discomfort, I decided to help him out.
“Sir?”
“Yes! Uh…Yes, Cadet Ian?”
“I’d like to see your summon in action.”
“Right away!”
The viscount eagerly launched his Red Hawk into the sky. Closing his eyes, he connected his vision with the summon.
This ability, known as Hawk Eye, allowed him to see through his summon’s eyes. Though it might be dismissed as a gimmick in some games, here it was invaluable.
As the bird soared high above, the viscount scanned the area. But soon, his expression darkened.
“Uh… What is that…?”
Moments later, he opened his eyes, his face pale and filled with disbelief.
“Lady Stella, we need to evacuate immediately.”
“…What’s happening?”
“It’s a demon.”
And just like that, the main storyline had begun.
Goblin: sponsored chapter 2 of 4.
Book Release: I recently listed a collection of my poems titled “Thought Blinks: A Collection of Poems” on Patreon and BuyMeaCoffee shop. You can buy it for only $7, if you like poetry.
Things are Not Looking Good:
Yes, things are not looking good. As you know, translation requires a lot of time and energy. I translate, edit and proofread the chapters on my own. I will be honest here, I started translating as a hobby, then it evolved to a hope of earning a living by doing something I enjoy.
However, I suffered a chain of misfortunes during and after the pandemic, and earnings from FSM and RTV helped me a lot. It became a significant part of my life. As long as my monthly income bordered around $200, I could make the time to translate in the middle of other works. Then RTV ended, and the earning decreased. Now, it has decreased to around $90-$100. And with PETTV nearing completion, that would decrease even more. A*dsence gets me about $ 0.50 per day, and you can’t get the payment until it reaches $100, so I can’t depend on that either.
It wouldn’t be an issue in normal circumstances, but it matters a lot to me since I am still dealing with a lot of financial troubles. I am currently looking for a job, and will have to invest my time and energy in it once I get it.
Long story short, if you enjoy reading this novel, support the translation if you can, either by becoming a Patron in Patreon, or sponsoring chapters at BuymeaCoffee. You can also take some time to watch a*ds to increase the revenue on A*dsence. Grains of sand together can form a desert.
FSM supporters has been supporting me from the start no matter what, so I would continue to translate FSM as long as I am alive. But for the other projects, I now desperately need your support so that I can spend the time and energy to serve them to you all. That’s all. Thank you.
@Goblin MC still is dense as a iron bar. You said that he wasn’t and I still didn’t read any proof that MC isn’t a typical japanese harem MC. I know this novel is korean but it doesn’t feel like.
Thanks for chapter