Chapter 17: The Commission to Kill the Black Knight

Two days passed, and the carriage was attacked again. This time, the assailants weren't humans, but a group of Goblins.

Unlike their smaller, more primitive cousins, these Goblins were far more intelligent. They wore armor, wielded weapons, and even spoke Common. A few Goblin Shamans could even cast simple magic spells.

More than mere monsters, Goblins resembled an independent, intelligent race, meaning they were theoretically capable of communication.

However, most Goblins had no interest in peaceful interaction with humans. Upon sighting them, they would immediately attack, slaughter everyone, butcher the bodies, and drag the remains back to their lairs to devour.

This included women—there were no "plot twists" from certain questionable fantasies here. Human females clearly didn't align with the Goblins' aesthetic preferences.

Before the two groups clashed, Cipher had scouted a large group of Goblins ambushing in the roadside forest. Once the adventurers were prepared, they charged into the forest and initiated combat preemptively.

The outcome was never in doubt. Apart from a minor injury sustained by the bronze-skinned female warrior, all twenty-plus Goblins were slain, leaving only a field littered with corpses.

Notably, despite the increased number of corpses, Cipher no longer felt the same overwhelming nausea as before. She gazed at the dark green creatures, barely a meter tall, scattered across the ground. Perhaps it was because they weren't human? She viewed the goblins like a mass of dead animals, her reaction far less intense than before.

Returning to the present, Cipher stared up at the towering city walls before her. After five days of travel, they had finally reached Stone Pine City, their destination. This marked the completion of their quest, and Cipher was about to receive her first payment since arriving in this world: ten Gold Dragons.

It also meant she could finally "start stealing things," something she had been eagerly anticipating!

As the carriage entered Stone Pine City, Pieck couldn't help but sigh in relief. The group proceeded directly to the Adventurer's Guild. Pieck first produced thirty Gold Dragons to settle the payments for the female warrior, the black-robed man, and the raccoon adventurer.

Once they had departed, Pieck brought out another one hundred and sixty Gold Dragons. Turning to Cipher and the others, he said, "You've all demonstrated impressive skill. Would you be interested in taking on another quest? Eliminate the Black Knight. The reward is one thousand Gold Dragons."

"H-how much?!" Cipher exclaimed, glancing down at the ten Gold Dragons she had just received. Her initial joy faded, replaced by a resolute determination: she wouldn't wait any longer; tonight was the night!

The ten Gold Dragons felt remarkably solid in her palm, their weight radiating the satisfying assurance of hard-earned wages. But... if she stole Pieck's possessions and succeeded, wouldn't that also be something she had "earned" with her own hands through her own labor?

Therefore, there was no fundamental difference between the two actions (not really)!

Cipher's tail swayed gently as she pondered her strategy for the night. Meanwhile, Feidric frowned slightly upon hearing Pieck's new quest. "Kill the Black Knight? Could you provide more detailed information first?"

Pieck shook his head. "I don't know the specifics myself. All I know is that about a month ago, a knight clad entirely in black armor appeared near Stone Pine City and began attacking travelers indiscriminately. He's incredibly powerful—so far, thirteen members of the Braun Family alone have fallen victim to him."

"Among the dead were three family members and ten guards, all with exceptionally gruesome deaths. Furthermore, the Black Knight seems to wield some kind of curse magic. One of my brothers narrowly escaped, but the knight's sword pierced his chest. The wound never healed, bleeding incessantly until he finally succumbed to his agony."

"You're free to accept or decline this quest. However, if you ever encounter and slay the Black Knight, you can claim the reward of one thousand Gold Dragons from me at any time."

With that, Pieck left the Adventurer's Guild, leaving Aria and her companions deep in thought. Aria spoke up first: "I think we should hunt down this Black Knight. He's roaming near the city, killing indiscriminately. The sooner we take out this menace, the more lives we'll save!"

Douglas chimed in, "I'm in! Besides, a thousand Gold Dragons? With that kind of money, I could retire comfortably back home!"

Feidric mused, "Still, we should be cautious. A reward this high suggests the Black Knight's strength is considerable. And the search area, 'roaming near the city,' is far too vast. Finding him will be like searching for a needle in a haystack."

After a brief pause, the three adventurers turned to Cipher, as if seeking her opinion. Cipher simply waved her hand and said, "I'm going out to shop for some things. Anyone want to join me?"

Feidric sighed in exasperation, while Douglas chuckled in resignation. "Exactly! Why overthink it? Let's just leave it to fate. If we run into him, great. If not, oh well."

Only Aria responded to Cipher's invitation. "Me! Me!"

With that, Cipher and Aria left the Adventurer's Guild for a leisurely stroll. Cipher intended to buy herself a backpack and some daily necessities, since she couldn't keep relying on Aria's belongings forever.

As for Aria, her true motive had nothing to do with shopping. While keeping Cipher company, she would approach any muscular man she saw, strike up a conversation, and then ask to examine his wrist. It was clear she was still helping Cassie search for the culprit.

Cipher wasn't sure whether to marvel at Aria's incredible social skills or her unwavering persistence. "Aria, are you sure this is the best way to find Cassie's attacker? You could be searching forever!"

Aria simply smiled sweetly. "What does it matter? I don't have anything else to do right now anyway!"

Aria wasn't obsessively searching every day, neglecting all other responsibilities. Instead, she pursued her investigation during her free time, careful not to burden her teammates. "I know the chances of finding the culprit this way are slim," she admitted, "but doing something is better than nothing. What if I actually stumble upon them someday?"

Cipher couldn't argue with that. Soon, the pair arrived at the city's bustling marketplace. Gazing at the dense crowds and rows of colorful stalls lining the streets, Aria couldn't help but wear the wide-eyed expression of a country girl visiting the city for the first time. Everything seemed novel, everything astonished her.

This wasn't just a figure of speech. Aria truly was a village girl, and this was her first time experiencing the vibrancy of a major metropolis.