Chapter 42: Goblins' Big Brother!
Jasper leapt from the carriage before it had fully stopped, his boots hitting the cobblestones with a thud.
"Master, slow down!" Ivar called after him. "You could've fallen!"
The ornate carriage wheels ground against loose cobblestones as it lurched to a halt, sending a spray of dust and pebbles skittering across the street.
Jasper spun around with fluid grace, his dark cloak billowing behind him like wings. A grin split his face, revealing teeth that seemed to gleam with predatory sharpness in the dying light. "Who cares? I just fell so hard at Heinrich's mansion! Falling into the ground is nothing in comparison!"
Falcon, stationed at the wide-open heavy Iron gate, barely had time to straighten his posture and step forward before Jasper swept past him like the wind, his boots clicking rapidly against the stone.
"Welcome back, Boss—"
"Falcon, take the day off!" Jasper shouted over his shoulder, his voice boomed across the courtyard, "No gate duty for the rest of the day!"
Falcon blinked rapidly, his calloused hand still gripping his spear. "Huh?" He turned to Ivar, who remained perched on the carriage seat like a satisfied cat, the corners of his mouth twitching with barely contained amusement.
"Feel like helping me buy ingredients?" Ivar asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he gestured toward the marketplace direction.
Falcon's weathered face split into a grin that transformed his usually stoic features. "Heh. Guarding that gate day and night is utterly boring—count me in!" He vaulted into the carriage with surprising agility, the vehicle swaying slightly under his weight. As soon as he settled onto the luxurious leather seat, both men paused, their eyes meeting as the same realization dawned.
"...We can't show up at the market in this," they said in unison, their voices blending as they gestured at the ornate carriage.
Within minutes, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the guild's courtyard as they swapped the conspicuous vehicle for a simpler wooden cart. The humble conveyance's wheels squeaked slightly as they rolled away, the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves on cobblestone gradually fading as they disappeared toward the bustling marketplace, where the calls of vendors and the chatter of shoppers created a symphony of commerce.
Inside the guild, Jasper strode straight toward the cluster of women chatting near the hearth. "Mina! Tonight calls for a feast and all of you help her! Ivar's bringing back the finest ingredients, so I want perfection on the table!"
Mina tilted her head, amused. "You're practically glowing, Master. Did things go well with Guild Master Heinrich's daughter?"
"Better than well—it was flawless!"
The room erupted in a chorus of cheers that seemed to lift the very rafters. Voices blended together in a crescendo of celebration. Even little Lina, who barely grasped the significance of the moment, bounced on her toes with infectious joy, her giggles adding a musical note to the symphony of happiness.
Lysandra clasped her hands together, her eyes shining like stars reflected in still water. "Then I'll prepare my mother's special drink—the one she saved for celebrations!" Her voice carried the reverence of someone handling a precious family heirloom.
Jasper didn't linger. He swept back outside, calling to the slums' residents, inviting them to share in his joy. Wherever he went, laughter and dancing followed, the air buzzing with anticipation.
By nightfall, the repaired slum glittered under a sea of candlelight, each flame clinging to windowsills and doorframes. The guild stood brightest of all, its tables at the courtyard out overflowing with delicacies, singing, and the warmth of a community united in celebration.
The feast was in full swing—unified gang members and slum residents alike devoured the spread before them, laughing between mouthfuls. Some of the hungrier attendees ate with abandon, while others slyly tucked scraps into their pouches for later, their eyes darting as if expecting someone to scold them.
As Jasper appeared, the crowd erupted in cheers, welcoming him and thanking him for the invitation. Murmurs spread about how he was more humane than all the other wealthy elites—whether nobles or merchants—even though he was a monster.
Near the head of the table, Wolf and his crew were locked in their usual battle—shoveling food into their mouths like men who hadn't eaten in weeks, elbows jostling for space. Falcon approached their table with measured steps, his head shaking in bemused recognition. A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he watched the familiar spectacle unfold. "Ha! Some things never change."
"Ha! Some things never change."
"Falcon!" Wolf's voice was muffled by a mouthful of perfectly seasoned roasted meat, grease glistening on his chin. He swallowed with obvious effort before continuing, "Damn, we miss you out there. Meanwhile, you've got it easy—standing guard at the guild while we're out scraping for intel in the mud."
Barret, another gang member, his fingers sticky with grease and sauce, jabbed a pointed finger in agreement. "Yeah! Must be nice, just leaning on a spear all day."
Falcon scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "You've got no idea how mentally exhausting gate duty is. Try staying alert for hours while looking like you're doing nothing—expecting someone to come and shake you out of your boredom, only to end up watching passengers go left and right. It's dead boring."
"Well, at least better than being called a ho*** dog by a bit*h." Barret said, his head boiling with rage as he remembered a bad encounter.
The men burst into laughter before diving back into the feast.
Burrrrrp!
The sound was so profound it seemed to come from the very depths of Barret's being. He patted his distended stomach with obvious satisfaction, the gesture of a man who had truly indulged. "So, Falcon, who do we owe the pleasure of this feast to? Last time, it was because the boss's business boomed—and Lady Mina got pregnant."
"Who knows? I'm not sure myself," Falcon shrugged, reaching for a particularly appetizing piece of honey-glazed fowl.
"Eh, who cares?" Barret grinned, "I'll thank whoever made the boss happy enough to throw a grand feast for us common folk!"
Suddenly, Jasper stood on a chair and raised his voice above the chatter. His movement was fluid and confident, drawing every eye in the area. "Listen up, everyone!"
The transformation was instantaneous and almost supernatural. Conversations died mid-sentence, laughter cut off abruptly, and even the usual buzz of flies seemed to vanish,
"Ahem. People of the slums—or, let's change this horrible name—this is no longer the slums. The sun has finally risen over our home, and we will not sink back into the slums. Henceforth, we shall call this area 'Suncrest.' I hope you will do everything to improve this place even more. We will never let anyone look down on us again!"
"Long live the Boss! Long live the Boss!" The chant rose and fell like ocean waves, each repetition more fervent than the last.
Jasper raised a hand, quieting them once more. "I'll take my leave now. Enjoy the rest of the night!"
With that, he hopped down and strode toward the guild.
"Heading back to your room, Master?" Ivar and the others called after him.
"Yeah, I'm not usually the type of person who likes crowded places, but on happy occasions, I make sure to leave my mark. Enjoy yourselves—have a good night!"
"Good night, master!"
Alone in his room, Jasper lay on his bed. The happiness hadn't faded yet, and he wasn't feeling sleepy. "Let's continue my journey then," he smirked. "Power On."
Jasper—the in-game character—waited patiently in the village. "My good character, let's finish this quickly and get back to our business."
Entering the forest, the last goblin emerged with a "Ding!" sound, accompanied by an exclamation mark above its head. It came running toward Jasper. As usual, four goblins appeared, their smiles disgustingly scary. Having fought multiple batches of goblins, his swordsmanship had reached level 2. He critically slapped the last group into oblivion.
Battle Result:Jasper Wins!HP Remaining: 760/1000SP Remaining: 730/900EXP Gained: 200Loot: Broken Rusty Dagger x1, Goblin Hide x4, 2 gold coins
"A Broken Rusty Dagger? And in bold too? Offering me this junk while giving it too much credit—you're a bit too much, ArmBrace. This is too bold for me to carry, honestly."
My hands are clean; I haven't intervened in the game yet. A small hologram of a fairy appeared, showing how clean its hands were.
"Yet? So you were planning to, huh?"
No comment…
"At least I've collected around 7 gold and 100 silver hunting those green freaks."
After the battle result screen dissolved into pixels and vanished, the forest environment shifted back to its normal state. But something was wrong—Jasper's character remained frozen in place, as if invisible chains had suddenly bound him to the spot. No matter which direction he tried to move, his character remained stubbornly immobile.
"ArmBrace, what's going on? Why can't I move?" Jasper demanded, his confusion sharpening to unease.
The fairy's expression shifted from innocent to something far more sinister. Its voice took on a tone that was both apologetic and anticipatory.
Brace yourself, dear user. I'm about to peel away the faded layers of your image, restoring back the terrifying monster hidden beneath.
"Restore wha—"
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRR!
Jasper's body acted before his mind could process it. He launched sideways off the bed, landing in a crouch—heart hammering—before he even realized he'd moved. The roar wasn't just loud; it was a physical force, vibrating through his bones, tearing through the night like a predator shredding prey.
The sound reverberated through the guild's stone walls, seeming to penetrate every corner and crevice of the building.
Kyyyaaaa!!!! *n
Outside, a woman's scream pierced the air, followed by shouts of panic as the sound infected anyone who heard it with primal terror.
The game screen flickered wildly, like never before, and an eerie sound emanated from the ArmBrace. Jasper—the in-game character—looked around in panic as the screen shifted to the battle mode.
Jasper – Lv. 2
HP: 1000/1000 | SP: 900/900
[Attack]
[Guard]
[Items]
[Flee]
VS
Ogre – Lv. 10
HP: 4000/4000
"Okay… I curse you, ArmBrace. You and that young kid who gave me this mission."
Right back at you, dear user. I was doing you a huge favor.
"What favor? I'm about to die here!"
The sound of feet running through the hall toward Jasper's room was like a herd of horses galloping at full speed.
Jasper instantly teleported to his door, locking it.
"Master!/Jasper! What's going on?! What happened!? What was that sound we just heard?"
Voices clamored outside his door, each one demanding answers about the terrifying noise they'd heard.
"Don't worry, guys. I just roared out of excitement—nothing serious happened."
His words fell like an avalanche. Unconsciously, everyone began trembling in fear. Even Ivar and the others started believing Jasper's true identity was that of a monster.
Nice follow-up, dear user.
"Shut your trap, you piece of crap. You just ruined a lovely night," Jasper whispered.
Sigh. You'll thank me later, dear user. But by then, I won't accept your thanks or apology.
Taking a deep breath, Jasper called out, "You can go, guys. Enjoy the rest of the night. I'll apologize later for ruining the mood."
No one uttered a word. They left quietly, their footsteps barely audible.
"At least they're gone. Now, how am I supposed to face this quintic equation of an ogre in front of me?" Jasper ran his fingers through his imaginary hair in frustration. "I can't even escape this."
Round 1Ogre – Lv. 10
HP: 4000/4000
Jasper – Lv. 2
HP: 1000/1000 | SP: 900/900
Ogre's turn:
The ogre was furious over his dead minion; he charged in rage, punching Jasper in the chest.
Damage taken: 600
Jasper's HP: 1000 → 400/1000
Jasper fell into [Fear] state
"More than half of my HP. Yeah, no one will blame you for falling into a state of fear, dear character."
Jasper's turn:
Jasper attacked but out of fear he missed.
Miss!
SP -10 → 890/900
"Oh ho ho ho, my god. I can bid farewell next round."
Round 2
Ogre – Lv. 10
HP: 4000/4000
Jasper – Lv. 2
HP: 400/1000 | SP: 890/900
Ogre's turn:
The Ogre clenched his hands together tightly and jumped striking Jasper's head critically!
Critical Damage dealt: 1050!
Jasper's HP: 400→ 0/1000
"You F—," barely holding himself, "Why didn't critically hit me from the first round and freed me." Sigh! "I probably should praise my character for surviving until the second round."
Battle Result:Defeat!
The screen blackned and a timer appeared; 5 h : 59 min : 59 sec. For respawn.
"Such an unlucky encounter. You will pay for this, you big stinky goblin!"
"Power off,"
Jasper stood up and went downstairs to apologize for what had happened. The moment he appeared in the doorway, every face turned toward him with the synchronized precision. But instead of the warm smiles and joyful expressions that had greeted him earlier, he was met with faces drained of color, eyes wide with barely contained terror.
"Hey folks, did anything change?"
The silence stretched between them like a physical thing, heavy and suffocating.
"Didn't you all know from the start that I'm a monster?"
The acknowledgment came as a series of synchronized nods.
"Did I harm any of you?"
This time the response was a collective shaking of heads.
"So what are you afraid of? Because I roared out of excitement? Oh, come on. Ivar, come here."
"Right away, master."
They stood next to each other, and Jasper placed his hand on Ivar's shoulder with casual familiarity. The gesture was meant to be reassuring, but in the current atmosphere, it took on a more ominous quality. "You see this guy here?"
They nodded.
"He'd be the first one I'd eat if I ever planned to harm my people."
"Oh, come on, master. You're really giving me the creeps with your words," Ivar muttered.
"Shut it and smile." Ivar instantly complied.
"You see how he smiles even though I threatened to eat him? That doesn't mean he's foolish." Jasper shook his head. "It's the complete opposite—he knows I'd never harm my people unless they betrayed me. This guy made a lot of mistakes that would make any other master kill him without a second thought. But he was loyal and sincere in everything he did, and that's what I truly like about him."
He drew a deep breath, the sound clearly audible in the tense silence.
"The same goes for you guys. You're all my people. Look how your lives have started to change. Remember the misery you were living in, then ask yourselves: What's better? A life of poverty, or living under the wings of this monster?"
The crowd exchanged glances, their eyes meeting and darting away as they processed his words. The air filled with the soft murmur of whispered conversations, people leaning close to share thoughts and fears. Then, as if a dam had suddenly burst, they all shouted in unison: "We want to stay with you, Boss!"
The declaration rang out with renewed enthusiasm, though it carried an undertone of something that might have been desperation. Their voices blended together in a chorus of loyalty that seemed to chase away some of the oppressive atmosphere.
"If that's the case, enjoy the night and don't think too much about the roar you heard."
Jasper finished his words and went back to his room. Laying on the bed, he sighed, "Phew, today—day and night—has been full of events."
I nearly believed you were a monster there, dear user.
"Shhh, I nearly believed it myself too. Heh heh heh," Jasper answered, chuckling.
Everyone returned to the joyous mood that had almost been ruined moments before. But amid all of that, Lina was sleeping soundlessly. Her sleep was so deep and undisturbed that she might have been mistaken for something carved from stone, completely unaware of everything that had happened that night.