Calmly.
I had to stay calm.
I needed to wipe out these monkeys, every last one of them, until they were gone from this forest for good.
"Goblins, my apologies for waking you in the dead of night. This is an emergency. Gather everyone who can carry a weapon. We are going to exterminate those monkeys. I'm done being lenient. I wanted to respect your traditions, but they’ve crossed the line. This is no time to be debating codes or customs. I need your cooperation. Representative, please have the torches ready. Kirisana, I’m leaving the group's command to you. Can you handle it? Good. I’m heading out ahead of you."
I slipped into the forest.
I was reasonably confident in my night vision, so the darkness wasn't an issue. I quickly picked up the trail of the monkey troop. There were patches where the tracks were disturbed, likely where Enderi had resisted. At this rate, I’d catch up in no time.
Perhaps I should have chased after them immediately instead of giving orders to the goblins. No, there was no telling what might be waiting for me. I needed the extra hands.
Ah, damn it. I should have written a letter to Uncle Beezel before leaving the village. I really wasn't as calm as I thought. If the enemy had set a trap, I might walk straight into it.
...Whatever. I’d just trample everything in my way.
The monkeys had moved much deeper into the forest than I expected. I thought I’d catch them immediately, but I’d been too optimistic. Regardless, I had them in my sights now.
I found the troop.
They were gathered around the base of a massive tree. I couldn't see Enderi anywhere. Where was she? Tucked behind the trunk?
Still, there were so many of them. More than thirty. Fifty... no, maybe sixty monkeys? Had they merged with another troop? Or did it mean they had only shown a fraction of their numbers to me and the goblins before?
They were clever. I had to give them that.
However, they were going to die.
My target was the boss. If I took down the boss monkey, the troop would lose its cohesion. After that, I would just have to pick them off one by one.
The boss was in a conspicuous, prominent position. Judging by its aura, there was no doubt.
I climbed a nearby tree and leaped toward the large tree where the monkeys were gathered. They actually had sentries posted in the canopy—how impressive.
A screech went up. Every monkey turned to look at me at once, but it didn't matter. I drew my sword and dropped like a stone, aiming straight for the boss. I intended to cleave it in two with the momentum of my fall.
My sword was stopped.
A spearhead caught my blade mid-air. It was a literal "interruption by a spear," and I wasn't laughing. I parried the spear and lunged for the boss again, but the wielder wouldn't allow it. They had bought just enough time.
Monkeys carrying shields moved in to form a wall in front of the boss. The surprise attack had failed.
Should I retreat? No, I would tear this place apart and sow chaos.
"Wait, wait, wait! There's no need to fight!"
The spear-wielder called out for a ceasefire. A bit late for that, isn't it?
...Wait.
The person holding the spear was Niz.
"It’s been a long time, Gol-san."
Niz bowed her head to me.
Niz was the acting shop manager of "Sake & Meat Niz," a shop in Village Five. I had met her many times at the celebrations following our baseball games.
"I am the acting shop manager, not the manager. I apologize for the commotion the monkeys have caused. Enderi-san is over there."
I looked where Niz pointed and saw Enderi at the foot of the tree. She seemed unharmed.
Hm? Eh? What is that?
Enderi was cradling a baby that looked to be about... three months old?
Niz explained the situation.
Apparently, about a year ago, the monkeys had befriended a woman of the demon race who had fled into the forest. It was a symbiotic relationship; the woman and the monkeys lived together without interfering too much, simply helping each other in areas where the other was weak.
However, the woman had collapsed several months ago. It turned out she had been pregnant when she arrived in the forest. Although the child was born safely, her health never recovered, and she remained bedridden.
The monkeys were desperate. They did everything they could to help the woman and her newborn. The baby was manageable for the moment, as it could survive on monkey milk, but the priority was the mother.
That was why they sought food from outside the forest. They believed her health had declined because life in the woods didn't suit her. To the monkeys' minds, the biggest difference between the forest and the outside world was the food. They thought that if she ate crops grown in a field, she would get better.
That was why they had raided the goblins' fields. In exchange, they supposedly hadn't touched the wild vegetables or fruits around the goblin village, but... that's not exactly a nuance that translates well to the victims of a raid.
Despite their care, her condition didn't improve—it worsened. Then, the baby started getting sick as well. Distraught, the monkeys sought help from the Apostle of the Monkey. The Apostle didn't know what to do, as it was outside their expertise, so they asked the Monkey God. The Monkey God contacted the Snake God, and the Snake God sent word to Niz, the Apostle of the Snake.
That was why Niz was here.
Wait... Niz, you’re the Apostle of the Snake?
"We’ve held festivals in Village Five several times, and you’ve seen the Snake God enshrined inside my shop, haven't you?"
I’d seen it, but I just thought you really, really liked snakes.
"Ugh. I clearly need to work on my public relations."
"So, why did you kidnap Enderi?" I asked. To me, that was the most important question.
"I told you, didn't I? The child’s health was failing."
"Enderi isn't a healer, you know."
"They were looking for a mother figure."
A mother figure...
I looked at Enderi holding the baby. The child seemed to be in high spirits. ...Wait. Didn't you say it was sick?
"Oh, I took care of that when I arrived. I asked the Village Head for help and brought a few World Tree leaves with me."
Niz showed me the leaves in her hand.
"The mother is safe too. But since she’s been ill for so long, I’m having her sleep for now."
"I see."
"Since I’ll apologize for the trouble caused to the goblin village and for forcibly taking Enderi-san, could we settle the matter here?"
"Well, for our part, it isn't a problem as long as the fields are left alone, but you’ll have to discuss that with the goblin representative. Aside from Enderi's safety, the matter of the crops isn't something I can decide unilaterally."
"That is true. Then I will go speak with them at dawn."
"Please do. Ah, I have to go stop Kirisana and the goblins before they get here."
Sigh.
By noon, the discussion between Niz and the goblin representative was underway. The noblewoman from the demon race had come along, looking much healthier while holding her child.
She was a noble's wife who had been swept up in the rebellion a year ago. She had been helped to escape just before their lands were seized. Because she had hidden in the forest, she had no idea what had happened to the rebellion or her home, so she just kept living there until she gave birth.
In the forest alone? She said she’d had several servants, but they had been separated during the flight. Hmm... more likely they ran away. It was a miracle she’d survived this long in cooperation with the monkeys.
"The monkeys would bring food, and I would do the cooking, so..."
I see.
Enderi, Kirisana, and I told her what we knew about the current state of the southern continent, then left her to decide her next move. We wouldn't know if her husband was alive without an investigation. That would have to wait until Uncle Beezel arrived.
The talk between Niz and the goblin representative concluded. From now on, the monkeys would help with the harvest in exchange for a portion of the crops. The goblins didn't even demand a penalty for the trouble.
"If there is a baby involved, it cannot be helped," they said.
You guys are far too soft-hearted.
Also, I have to apologize to Baron Gima... That will also have to wait for Uncle Beezel. Alright, I’m dumping everything on him.
Still, Niz’s skill with the spear was incredible. I should ask her for lessons sometime.
"You’d be better off learning from Pirika-san than from me," she suggested.
"Eh? Does Pirika-san use a spear?"
"She says the best way to learn how to counter a spear is to master one yourself."
The fact that she mastered the spear on top of everything else makes Pirika-san truly terrifying. Come to think of it, I heard she held her own against Uncle Demon King at last year’s tournament.
Hmm. I need to train harder too.
As I was making that resolution, Kirisana walked over. She seemed to have a question for Niz.
"Is there a specific reason why Enderi was taken instead of me?"
"Eh? Um... not really. I think they just picked at random."
Niz answered with a polite smile. However, I saw it. Just before she spoke, her eyes flickered toward Kirisana’s chest.
Both Enderi and Kirisana were in trousers, but their figures were quite clear. And Enderi’s chest was simply more... motherly. Ahem.
Let’s stop that train of thought right there. Yeah, it was a coincidence. They just grabbed the first person they saw. Surely.
Gol was furious. He resolved that he must eliminate that wicked and tyrannical monkey.
...
"Babies are a cheap shot!"