A/N: If you're a Guild Girl fan, you'll hopefully enjoy this chapter, and her involvement in the rest of the story. Enjoy the chapter!
The door to the Adventurer's Guild swung open, and in stepped Goblin Slayer. The guild hall was sparsely populated at this time in the late morning. By this hour, most quests were already taken. He shifted a little as he walked, unused to the bandages wrapped around his torso underneath the armor. It had been several days since they'd returned from their expedition and claimed their hefty reward. They regrouped with the freed captives and escorted them back to town, where they were turned over to the church for healing and treatment. Since then, the party was taking some time off to recover.
High Elf Archer was the lucky one. She'd made it out with just a few bruises and scratches but was largely unharmed. Dwarf Shaman sustained numerous wounds from when he was snagged, but after treatment and a few rolls of sterilized bandages, he would be good to go in a few days. Lizard Priest's foot was another story. He was lucky enough that the thick muscles around his leg had absorbed most of the impact of the trap. The bone was very slightly fractured, but not broken. He'd be in crutches for a few days but would be back to adventuring again in no time, thanks to the healing magic.
Priestess on the other hand…
Goblin Slayer grunted to himself when a short burst of pain shot into his side. That arrow had pierced deeper than he first thought, and he was still feeling the aftereffects of the wound. Regardless, he shifted awkwardly in his armor and came to a stop in front of the quest board.
Priestess' arms should be free from their bandages now. There probably wouldn't be so much permanent scarring there. Her head was also checked out and turned out to be fine. She was as good as ready to head back into the field. It was fortunate that the arm scratches and head bruise were the only injuries she sustained. They were mostly superficial. And yet…
Goblin Slayer found that he was staring blankly at the quest board, not actually reading the postings. He shook his head, glancing once at the guild hall's entrance, which felt oddly lonely. On a regular day, she would be here by now. She'd arrive shortly after he did, a habit she picked up from when they were just a two-person party. Her robes would be freshly pressed, and her cap would be neatly folded. Her gear would be organized, and her staff would be polished exquisitely. Her bright smile would greet him good morning, and then he would brief her on the day's activities. He never realized up until this moment how routine it was.
Goblin Slayer crossed his arms to keep his hands from fidgeting. His sister always told him that was a bad habit.
Priestess was the only one he hadn't seen since they were treated. Dwarf Shaman was still going about, drinking despite the physicians' and healers' orders. Lizard Priest hobbled to the tavern for his meals, where he feasted extensively, claiming it to be the key to a speedy recovery. High Elf Archer had even linked up with Heavy Swordsman's party for a quest, just to kill time while their own party was in recovery. Goblin Slayer had been staying at the farm and helping around, trying not to exert himself too much.
Priestess hadn't emerged from the church of the Earth Mother. She was holed up in her quarters as far as he knew.
Goblin Slayer's eyes finally focused on the quest board, analyzing the postings. Sewer rats, bandits, trolls, wyrmlings, and a few demons. But no goblins. He hummed in consideration. The little creatures must have been planning something. Maybe they were gathering under the new banner of a higher tier goblin now that the Goblin Ranger was defeated. If that was the case, then he needed to act fast. Put them down in the dirt before they could organize. Burn them out, kill them all. He'd hunted goblins solo for years, and he could do it again.
"Good morning, Mr. Goblin Slayer!" A cheery voice snapped Goblin Slayer out of his thoughts. He turned to find Guild Girl, bright eyed and all smiles.
"Good morning," Goblin Slayer replied, "No goblin quests?"
Guild Girl hummed, putting a finger to her lips in thought before speaking up, "I believe there aren't any today."
"Hrm…" Goblin Slayer grunted. He quickly surveyed the bare hall. There were only a few adventurers around, mostly chatting and planning before heading out. The front desk's usually bustling line was deserted, which explained why Guild Girl had the time to check in.
One of the times she told him there weren't any goblin quests, it was because rookies had snagged it. They were promptly wiped out, and he arrived just in time to find Priestess. If that were the case this time, then he needed to act fast, check if the rookies could handle it.
"…No rookies took the goblin quests?" He tried.
"I'm positive no goblin quests were filed recently," Guild Girl confidently said, "Probably thanks to the success your party had with the last quest!"
Goblin Slayer's pointer finger incessantly tapped against his upper arm. He needed to slay goblins. It was an itch that needed scratching. Badly.
"…Is that so?"
"Mr. Goblin Slayer, are you sure you should even be up and about?" Guild Girl's bright smile was unchanged, yet her tone took a sudden shift to almost scolding. It reminded him of his sister.
"Hrm," He grunted, for lack of better reply.
"Don't pretend you're not still hurt! I saw you hobbling through the door," Guild Girl wagged a disapproving finger at him.
Goblin Slayer's helmet hid his mild surprise. "Is that so?"
Guild Girl's characteristic grin simmered to a small knowing smile, "I've watched you come and go in this hall for maybe six years now. It's not hard to miss. You know I don't like it when you overexert yourself. You could get hurt."
Goblin Slayer stared at her from behind his visor, listening to the erratic rhythm he was unconsciously tapping away. Guild Girl and his old friend at The Farm were always badgering him about his health. He hated to admit they were right. He still wasn't a hundred percent recovered. One misstep and that was all it took. Pathetic. And to think, people called him the slayer of goblins.
"Are you alright, Mr. Goblin Slayer?" Guild Girl's hand found its way to his crossed arms, suppressing his anxious finger.
"Yes," He replied automatically.
Guild Girl frowned, but did not budge, "You're upset."
Goblin Slayer was silent, and his helmet tilted to avoid her concerned gaze. He wouldn't use the word upset. He just wanted to kill goblins. He woke up this day feeling less sore than the last, and he'd resolved to himself that he'd kill goblins today. So, it was perfectly natural that he was fidgety because there were no goblins to kill.
Goblin Slayer had spent the past few days tending to the farm. He constantly tested his body and his healing, waiting for the moment he was finally ready to get back in action. He'd been restless since their party got back to town. His hands had a mind of their own. His old friend had been the first to point it out, when his finger tapped on the side of the dining table while waiting for dinner to be served. And again, when his fingers wouldn't cease digging into his palm while she tallied the deliveries for town. Goblin Slayer was not an idle man. Being stuck, unable to do anything – it did things to him.
No, he was not upset.
Goblin Slayer grunted, and showed his mastery of complete changes in topic, "I have to go to the blacksmith."
"I'll come with you!" It was a statement of course, not a request. The look on her face was both mischievous and good-natured, and how she could portray that mix of emotions was beyond him. Goblin Slayer shifted against his bandages while he considered her. There wasn't any stopping her once she put her mind to something. She was always a hard-headed lady.
"It's my break hour anyway," Guild Girl added before he could even try to stop her.
"…Very well." Goblin Slayer accepted defeat.
He set off towards one of the side doors in his usual bold stride. He tried to minimize the fidgeting his bandages caused. Guild Girl fell in step beside him quickly. They walked in relative silence, exiting the guild hall and crossing the busy tavern, which was nearer to the smithy. The savory smell of grilled meat and vegetables filled the air, joined by the boisterous laughs and hollers of the adventurers around them. They were halfway across the large room when she spoke up.
"How are your friends?"
"Improving," Goblin Slayer replied flatly.
"Hm," Guild Girl hummed in acknowledgement, "Your ranger is on a quest with another party for the day. Your two boys seem to be eating and drinking their way to recovery."
"Yes."
"What about the girl? I haven't seen her around."
Guild Girl observed the man's fist clench at the mention of his young cleric. He threw the question back to her instead.
"Is that so?"
"It is. She appeared quite shaken up when you returned from your quest."
A tired sigh drifted from Goblin Slayer's helmet, and he nodded once in acknowledgement. He quickened his pace in the slightest, despite the pain in his side. Guild Girl frowned at the back of his helmet but allowed him his space for now. She simply kept in step with him.
Soon enough, the pair arrived at the smithy's equipment shop. The door swung open to reveal all manner of armaments within. Swords, daggers, axes, mauls, polearms, and shields lined the racks. Mannequins idled throughout the shop, wearing sets of armor of varying levels of protection. They ranged from the infamous bikini chainmail, to the practical and stylish dyed plate armor. Several patrons inspected the shop's wares, picking out their next piece of gear. Standing by the counter was the master smith, who grinned at the pair as they entered.
"Ho ho! My boy the Goblin Slayer! And the lady receptionist! Good morning!" He waved a hand, eager to make another sale from his reliable customer.
"Good morning!"
"Morning."
Goblin Slayer acted automatically. The smell of quality leather and metal polish was heavy in the air, and it brought a sense of ease within him. Even if he never purchased any of the higher quality gear, he enjoyed seeing them. The sets of beautiful plate armor, the sharp longswords with the tapered ends – they brought back memories of his childhood. How he'd wanted to grow up to become a big, strong adventurer. Now… he couldn't bring himself to wholeheartedly associate the term with himself. He wasn't quite an adventurer in the truest sense of the word. He was an exterminator.
The warrior's fingers idly slid over the shaft of a halberd as he walked to the back of the shop. He found the familiar rack of mass-produced swords. Guild Girl watched with interest at how he went straight for the cheapest gear. She curiously pulled a sword from the rack, inspecting the weapon but not quite knowing what she was doing.
"Thinking about getting one of these babies in case any more disgruntled Rheas come after me, you know?" Guild Girl jested.
Goblin Slayer looked up at her from the rack, helmet tilted. "Is that so?"
She giggled and gave a half-hearted shrug. She returned the sword before pulling out another one, "Can't hurt. Not many would dare attack a Guild employee when so many adventurers are around, but…"
"You never know," Goblin Slayer finished the thought.
Guild Girl nodded as her smile faded into a more serious expression. It was barely a year ago when Rhea Scout had made an attempt on both of their lives. He was deadly and fast, faster than Goblin Slayer. He considered himself lucky for being well equipped and armored at the time. Just lacking his chainmail that night would've proved fatal. It was a close call. He and the people around him seemed to be having more and more of those lately. If he hadn't been prepared, Guild Girl would've been –
Goblin Slayer's hand tightened around the weapon rack.
No.
No more.
Goblin Slayer took a moment to really look at Guild Girl. The woman, a year or two his senior, was of a surprisingly sturdy build. She was slender, and carried herself with a certain grace, but he also saw the thin layer of muscles she maintained. She was fit, and probably worked hard to keep at it, considering her desk job. She could probably swing a weapon if she needed to. She didn't have the training, which meant a blunt implement may better suit her. A small dagger would serve as a decent backup. A stiletto dagger, so that she could pierce chainmail.
Having completed his assessment, Goblin Slayer stepped away from the sword rack to pick out a flanged mace, about two feet in length, with a decent weight to it. Wordlessly, he handed it to Guild Girl, who took it with unsure hands. He located the dagger rack shortly after, procuring a short stiletto.
"Goblin Slayer, are you… recommending these for me?"
"The mace is so that you have a non-lethal solution, just in case. Blades are dangerous, and a lot of rookies cut themselves on their first sword." Goblin Slayer began.
"And I can use this without much training," Guild Girl continued. She took the time to step back and give the weapon a few swings experimentally.
"Yes," Goblin Slayer nodded, "The dagger is two-fold. It's a good utility tool to have. It's also tapered enough to pierce and possibly break chainmail. You go through a lot of interviews with adventurers and…"
"Right. You never know," Guild Girl agreed. She considered the weapons in her hands, the weight strange and unfamiliar to her, yet they also brought with them a sense of assurance. She turned the dagger over in her hand a few times, inspecting the handle and the blade.
"I'll pay for these," Guild Girl's cheerful demeanor returned, and she beamed as she spoke, "Thank you, Goblin Slayer"
The man nodded and returned to his own business while Guild Girl walked to the counter. It didn't take him long to pick out a new generic arming sword (which needed grinding), and a few spare daggers. Now he just needed to pick up his repaired doublet and chainmail.
Goblin Slayer set his equipment down on the counter. Guild Girl stood to the side; her own equipment already wrapped up in a neat bundle. Her new dagger had its own sheath.
"Can I use the grindstone at the back?" Goblin Slayer asked the same question every time out of courtesy, even if the answer was, and always would be yes.
"Of course, my boy. Will this be all?" The short man pushed the equipment to one side before scribbling in his ledger.
"Is the armor repaired?"
The master of the shop let out a hum of affirmation. He ducked down for a moment, before heaving the padded doublet onto the table, followed by the heavy chainmail.
"Good as new!" He proudly announced. The smith's expression shifted, and he snapped a finger.
"Oh! Before I forget, your girl's chainmail is finished as well," He bent back down beneath the counter, and Goblin Slayer frowned from behind his visor. Shuffling sounded as the master searched for the armor in question.
"What are you talking about?" Goblin Slayer asked.
The smith straightened up, setting the mail down on the counter. He frowned back at Goblin Slayer but explained, "Your cleric came in a few days ago. Her arms were all bandaged up. Paid for the job up front."
Goblin Slayer's jaw clenched.
"She asked me to check the integrity of the links by the ribs and repair any missing links," The smith rolled the mail to show the spot in question, "Then we took her measurements to adjust the fit, keep it a bit more snug. Then she asked to rivet on some chain sleeves to add to the protection."
"Now, you see here," The smith then lifted the mail up partially, to bring focus to the links. Guild Girl and Goblin Slayer leaned in to take a closer look, "A couple of these were badly damaged. It was clear the girl took two strong blows to the ribs; my guess is from a dagger. Probably in rapid succession, judging by the spacing of the damage. The lass is lucky there wasn't a third, or that the blade wasn't tapered."
"So, I replaced the links, checked on their condition, and they should fine now. That's a smart girl you've got. Defense is the best offense, I always say."
Two blows to the ribs.
Two stabs to the ribs.
From a dagger.
Lucky the blade wasn't tapered.
Lucky there wasn't a third.
She just hit her head. Got her arms scratched up. She wasn't stabbed. No. She didn't tell him about that. He hadn't seen that. He just saw her struggling to disarm the goblin of its dagger. No. This couldn't be right. Two stabs. If there had been a third or a fourth, the mail could've been pierced. The blade would've broken her skin, slipped between her ribs and –
No.
No, that couldn't be.
His finger twitched at his side.
"Two blows to the ribs?" Goblin Slayer's hollow voice echoed from within the steel helm.
"Yes," The workshop's master replied, "With a dagger. Were you not listening, boy?"
The incessant finger tapping against his leg resumed.
He'd kill them all. Snuff their pathetic existence off the face of the world.
Goblin Slayer stuffed a hand into his pouch, producing a sizeable bag of gold. He dumped the bag on the counter with enough force to rattle the equipment, causing the other two to flinch. Goblin Slayer grabbed his sword from the table.
"Pack them up."
Without another word, he marched off to the grindstone by the window, leaving the two behind to stare.
The master shrugged off the uncharacteristic rudeness. He didn't mind. The rather too heavy bag of gold more than made up for it. The master smith got to work wrapping the equipment into neat bundles.
Concern marred Guild Girl's features as she watched Goblin Slayer work the grindstone. The young priestess truly was the center of it all.
This attitude of Goblin Slayer was totally new to her. She'd never seen him worked up over anything before. Even the impending attack on The Farm was dealt with a relative calmness to it. This was unfamiliar territory, but she resolved to at least try and be there for the man. She began her slow approach towards Goblin Slayer.
The months after their date at the harvest festival had come and gone, and nothing changed. Guild Girl was mature enough to see and understand when her affections weren't truly reciprocated. It did however pique her curiosity if the cleric, the cause of his current turmoil, was where his own affections lied, however small or fleeting they may be. But now wasn't the time for such conjecture. She had to help. Goblin Slayer was a noble man in his own way, always first to volunteer to save the towns from goblins. He wasn't known as The Frontier's Kindest for nothing. And for that, she would always admire him, and support him in whatever way she could. Even just as colleagues and friends.
Sparks flew from the grindstone as Goblin Slayer eased the blade back and forth across the spinning wheel. Guild Girl kept a safe distance as she skirted around it, coming to a stop to his side. She leaned against the windowsill, a hand on her hip.
Goblin Slayer continued mechanically. If he noticed her arrival, he didn't show it.
She hit her head and didn't recover quickly enough. Her vestments were torn up. It must have happened when she came to. Before the struggle for the dagger. He'd only been able to focus his attention on her at that point, when she grabbed the creature by the wrist, and the others were clawing at her arms.
They stabbed her. They actually tried to kill her.
If they used a tapered blade –
Goblin Slayer's hand slipped, sending a large shower of sparks into the air. He grunted and repositioned the blade against the stone.
It was unacceptable. It would not stand.
He'd go on his own hunt today. He'd find a nest by himself. He'd sweep Frontier Town's perimeter, then check the nearby villages and homesteads for activity. Those careless creatures were easy to track. They'd lead him right back to their nest. He'd set traps by the entrance, smoke them out, slaughter them. He'd kill them all.
"What are you going to do now?" Guild Girl asked, but already knew the answer.
"Kill goblins," He answered without missing a beat.
"What will that accomplish?"
He was silent, save for the breaths he released while he operated the grindstone.
"I know you're angry," Guild Girl began in a calming tone, "But going out there by yourself to hunt goblins isn't the answer."
His grip tightened on the sword's hilt, and a brief flash of sparks caused him to adjust once more.
"Killing more of them isn't going to help her; it's not what she needs."
A harsh exhale shot from his helmet, and another flare of sparks went off. He dropped the sword on the ground with a clatter, causing a few heads to turn his way. He paid them no mind. His fists balled at his lap. There was a long pause before Goblin Slayer looked up at Guild Girl. She looked right back into the black depths of his helm, seeing the faintest visage of angry red eyes within.
"What should I do then?" Goblin Slayer asked sharply.
Guild Girl didn't waver. Her golden eyes bore unrelentingly into his visor.
It wasn't long before Goblin Slayer's head turned away, and his posture softened, curling in on itself by the slightest degree. His helmet may have masked his expression, but he wasn't all too hard to read. He looked inexplicably small, looking up at her with his shoulders sagged and his head tilted. He reminded her of a young boy, lost, and searching for refuge.
Guild Girl smiled sympathetically and kneeled down so that she was closer to his level. She reached out to his clenched fists, soothingly rubbing her much smaller hands over them. They relaxed after several short passes, after which she withdrew her hands. His helmet turned to her, and silence emanated from within as he processed his thoughts.
"It's the only thing I know to do," Goblin Slayer said, much softer this time.
Guild Girl pursed her lips for a second, in consideration.
"I know. It's okay," She said soothingly.
Goblin Slayer was silent, which prompted Guild Girl to pick up his discarded sword and straighten up. She knew what might help.
"Come with me," Guild Girl offered her hand. Goblin Slayer looked at it for a long while, and she began to think he was going to decline. However, he took her hand, allowing her to pull him up from the grindstone's seat.
"Where are we going?"
The massive mountains, the peaks reaching out to the gods themselves, the rivers, winding and flowing freely. The hills, speckled with flowers in bloom, the forests, green, healthy and growing. The town below, bustling with activity as the people went to and fro with their daily lives. All could be seen from the guild's watchtower.
Guild Girl leaned against the railing while Goblin Slayer shut the door behind them. She stretched, bathing in the sun's warmth.
"Careful. You don't want to fall."
Guild Girl smiled at the man's concern and made it a point to not lean so far out.
Professional Consultation. That was the term she'd used when she asked her bosses for permission to take him up. This wasn't the evening of a holiday where the guild was empty. They couldn't just make their way up here undisturbed. So, she told them that she was taking Mr. Goblin Slayer up to get his his professional opinion on how the town could overall better protect against goblins and other attacks. Such a vantage point would prove invaluable to planning for a town's defense, she had reasoned. Her bosses, in the middle of their lunch break, didn't bat an eye, and told her to proceed.
Though she probably would have to ask him to produce a short summary of recommendations someday down the line.
"Why here?" Goblin Slayer spoke up. The wind was soft today, and so all the better that there was no need to raise their voices.
Guild Girl turned, resting her arms on the railing and looking at out the scenic landscape all around. She replied when Goblin Slayer came to lean on the railing next to her, helmet scanning their surroundings.
"I thought a change of scenery might help. Less distractions up here," Guild Girl began, head turned to look at the man, "I read your report from the last quest."
"I see."
"Things got a bit hairy out there, huh?" Guild Girl continued, prompting a grunt of affirmation from the warrior. She sighed, and figured it be best to get straight into the thick of it.
"You're upset because you don't know how to help her." It was a statement that was met with silence.
"She hasn't left her quarters," Goblin Slayer eventually replied.
"Because she was pretty shaken by how close things got, right?" She prompted, getting a nod from the man.
"Have you tried visiting her?" Guild Girl asked.
"No."
Guild Girl shifted so that she faced Goblin Slayer completely.
"And why haven't you?"
"…"
"Goblin Slayer, is there anything that perhaps she said that you didn't include in the report?"
A hum sounded from his helmet. Guild Girl had seen trauma from afar for some time now. Many adventurers and common folk responded to it differently. There was one aspect that could be considered constant among the different cases. The root of the trauma. By addressing the origin, there was hope in healing. She'd read Priestess' report from her first quest as well. Guild Girl knew how badly it had gone for everyone else, and her heart ached for each and every one of them. She couldn't begin to imagine the trauma and survivor's guilt that Priestess had to live with.
Her own lapse into thought gave Goblin Slayer enough time to think of his own reply.
"She said she felt useless without her miracles," Goblin Slayer said.
Guild Girl bit her lip, and couldn't help but think of the tabletop roleplaying game that she played on occasion with Inspector, Cow Girl, High Elf Archer, and Priestess. She'd learned that support characters played a very specific role and were never really expected to perform beyond that. As far as she knew, that applied to actual adventuring as well.
"But that's her main function," Guild Girl thought out loud.
"Yes," Goblin Slayer agreed, "But she feels like a burden that we must look after."
"Okay…" Guild Girl muttered, "So if you want to help her, then that's what we need to address."
"But she isn't a burden," Goblin Slayer grunted, as if the thought itself was an annoyance.
"Of course she isn't," Guild Girl smiled reassuringly, "But what is, and what a person feels, are not always the same."
Goblin Slayer mulled the words over in his head for a long while before finally nodding. Guild Girl straightened up; the answer became quite apparent to her all at once. And the clueless man beside her had unwittingly given it to her himself.
"Goblin Slayer, it's quite obvious, isn't it?" She nudged him with her elbow.
"Is it?"
"It is! You can teach her to defend herself!"
"… I don't want her to violate her religious practices." Goblin Slayer said after some consideration.
Guild Girl nudged with her foot her newly purchased equipment, bundled and resting on the ground.
"You don't have to teach her anything lethal. Just enough to… incapacitate," She suggested, a smile forming on her beautiful face. Finding solutions to problems, no matter the type, always made her a little giddy.
"She's got that big staff, too! You could teach her to use it martially! That way, if she's ever in a tough spot, she can hold her ground. She doesn't need to be the one to finish them off… I'm sure you or the others could handle the dirty business," Guild Girl continued.
"…So if she's out of miracles, we don't need to watch her so closely. That will make her feel surer of herself…" Goblin Slayer trailed off.
The stoic adventurer then continued to stare out at their surroundings. She knew his silence to mean he was toying with the idea in his head even further.
"You may be right," Goblin Slayer finally concluded.
"May be? Of course I am!" Guild Girl giggled, nudging him slightly. It earned a short, somewhat amused exhale from within his helmet.
"Tell you what," She went on, "Why don't you teach me the basics of swinging that mace around too? I can be her training partner! I'll get back to work so that I can take the afternoon off tomorrow."
Guild Girl grew even giddier at the prospect of learning some basic fighting. It was never a huge point of interest for her, but working around so many different people well versed in martial combat piqued her curiosity. That, and trying new things in general was always fun.
"…You're good at this." Goblin Slayer said under his breath.
Guild Girl grinned, giving a slight shrug, "I like helping however I can."
A comfortable silence settled as the two looked out at the world, pleased at the resolution they had reached. Guild Girl had begun to make a mental checklist of all the preparations she needed to take today and tomorrow morning to make sure her afternoon was clear. Reports to be checked, rewards approved, new quests accepted and posted, promotion interviews – a busy day ahead. But it would be worth it. Both for herself, and for Priestess.
"I'm sorry… about earlier," Goblin Slayer spoke up. Guild Girl turned back to look at him. At his crude steel helm, his grimy armor, and his assortment of weapons. She looked at how he still looked like such a young, lost soul underneath it all. She forgot just how young the stoic adventurer was sometimes. His demeanor and appearance had always given off the image of a much older, grizzled man. Yet that wasn't the case. He struggled with his emotions like any young man did, and she would never fault him for it. Him of all people with his heart of gold he kept hidden from prying eyes.
So, Guild Girl placed a hand on his gauntlet, and ducked her head a little to try and peer into the black depths of his helmet. She could just make out the remorseful red eyes within, shrouded in the darkness he surrounded himself in.
"It's okay. I understand."
Goblin Slayer gave her a firm nod, causing his visor to rattle slightly, "Thank you."
"Anytime. I've got your back, alright? The next time anything like this happens again, remember you're not alone. You have friends. We're here for you." Guild Girl said, patting his gauntlet for emphasis.
"Alright. I'll remember that." He promised. That was good enough for her.
"And don't go throwing stuff around like that! That's rude!" Guild Girl tapped him a little harder on the gauntlet this time as she chastised him. Her tone contrasted her message, and it denoted a certain lightness to it. It prompted a quiet, embarrassed chuckle from Goblin Slayer's helmet.
"Sorry," He said simply. Guild Girl accepted the apology with a friendlier pat on his gauntlet. After a moment of thought, it was her turn to send a shy look his way as she spoke up.
"…I really will need that Frontier Town Goblin Defense Report though. No rush."
"Hrm."
A/N: I tried a different approach with Guild Girl, which I hope paid off. I tried to portray a more sisterly love between her and GS, and I hope that went well. I'm also very much into the mental image of Goblin Slayer just malfunctioning at the idea of Priestess hurt or being unable to help her. Please drop a review to let me know what you think! Also let me know if you prefer chapters around this length (about 5.3k) or around last chapter's 8k-ish.