"I will get my revenge, old man."
"Heh, you really think you have what it takes to beat me after losing the first time, do you?"
"I didn't ask to be part of this. But there was no chance I would miss the opportunity to show you how it is done."
High Elf Archer, Dwarf Shaman, and Scythe Rouge were looking at each other in the eyes with defiance. They were sitting at a small round table by themselves. They could feel the tension in the air while patiently waited for their cue.
The moment of truth arrived when Valkyrie rose her hand, and with a smile, lowered with fast movement while shouting "Go!" to the trio.
They called it the Drinking Duel of Destiny.
You could hear some of the adventurers and Huntsmen betting who would win the competition. High Elf Archer's drink of choice was a bottle of regular wine of a mildly high price. Next, dwarf Shaman got his ever-trusty Fire Wine, the pride of his race. Finally, Scythe Rouge asked for the most potent drink the Guild's tavern could offer. He got whiskey.
Valkyrie acted as the referee because she won the competition against Spearman the last time (also because her party banned her from drinking ever again). Spearman decided not to want to participate because of the horrible hangover from that time. So it was better to take it easy and just look how things would go.
After completing the Raid Quest, the celebration was spectacular, like many others the Adventurer's Guild held in the past. The food and drinks were abundant. People laughed and cheered with music in the background. Padfoot Waitress (a woman with ears, hands, and tail of a wolf) went back and forth to the kitchen to bring the orders rapidly and efficiently.
However, not everyone would consume alcohol during the party. Grimm Slayer and Priestess were drinking orange juice since neither was old enough to consume alcoholic beverages. Elemental Fencer had some aversion to alcohol itself, so she drank spring water with small touches of lemon to give it flavor. Regardless of what they were drinking, that didn't stop them from enjoying a good time.
"Is this common to celebrate after a quest complete?" Cat Ninja asked Lizard Priest, who was praying before he could start indulging in the bowl of melting cheese.
"Whether if it is a big or small quest, what makes it important are the victories we accomplish. We should take our time because tomorrow we will continue with our duty." Those were wise words from the reptilian adventurer that the Faunus listened attentively. However, she looked at him for wisdom, but that couldn't help as his mature demeanor disappeared when he started eating the cheese with overjoy. Cat Ninja found it somewhat disgusting since eating cheese by itself didn't seem like a proper meal.
It wasn't long when Padfoot Waitress approached Cat Ninja's table with a tray on hand. "Sorry for the wait. Here is your grilled tuna. Enjoy!" She put the meal in front of the Faunus, and she started drooling. The smell complimented by the spices, and the on-time temperature was irresistible to her senses. She grabbed the fork and knife to start cutting tuna pieces. Her party looked at Cat Ninja enjoying her meal. Much to their amusement, she and Lizard Priest behaved alike. None of them could contain their laughter after watching this.
Goblin Slayer, however, wasn't much of a celebration person as he was sitting by the corner. He still had his helmet on, as always, probably staring at the others while taking small sips of his drink. Grimm Slayer couldn't help herself wondering why the armored guy would sit away from everyone. But then again, he wasn't easy to read.
"Is he alright?" Grimm Slayer asked Priestess as their eyes were focusing on the armored guy. "He didn't eat or drink much since we started celebrating."
"He is alright," Priestess replied, smiling. "It's been a long day, and at least he is enjoying the night."
"Are you sure?"
"He is always like that, don't worry."
It was true; the hooded girls shouldn't feel like that right now, however, after seeing him being carried to fight and kill every single goblin ever since the Huntress and her party arrived. But, on the other hand, there was something if she had to put into words about Goblin Slayer: Odd. Of course, she didn't mean rudely, but more like what was underneath that worn-out helmet. What exactly motivated him to be an adventurer? She wanted to know, but it wouldn't be right to ask him directly, especially since he wasn't very open about himself. It was a challenging dilemma.
"Is something wrong?" Priestess asked as she saw Grimm Slayer lost in thought. The hooded girl quickly reacted after not responding for a couple of seconds.
"Huh? Oh, it's... it's nothing," Grimm Slayer tried to dismiss it, but she did poorly hide her emotions. Instead, she looked at the young adventurer, as her eyes weren't judgmental. Probably a perfect moment to share some of what's bothering with confidence. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"How long you know Goblin Slayer?"
"How long?" Priestess said, trying to recall. "I guess it's been already long, maybe six or seven months. Why?"
"Nothing, just wondering," Grimm Slayer said. She tried to cut the conversation, but not a good idea. "Actually, did he ever tell you why he only hunts goblins?"
"He didn't," Priestess turned at the armored guy. Her smile slowly faded. "I might have an idea, considering from what he taught me about dealing with goblins, but he would never say much about anything else."
"I believe you," Grimm Slayer sighed.
She wouldn't get many answers now, but after taking a quick look at her surroundings, it wouldn't be challenging to ask the rest of his party. But not tonight. That would be in the morning to not spoil everyone's fun. Grimm Slayer and Priestess watched the others having the time of their lives.
Lizard Priest was already in his third bowl of melted cheese and probably not the last for the night. Cat Ninja acted appropriately as she finished up her meal. The Faunus could ask for more, but she was already satisfied. Fencer began to fall asleep, so she retired from the celebration early to go to bed. The elegant lady waved at the group before going upstairs. Brawler was another spectator in the drinking competition, cheering for her uncle. From how things looked, Scythe Rouge was winning, probably, while High Elf Archer was last place as she felt drowsy.
"I have to say," Dwarf Shaman commented between hiccups, "yooooooou are the first human that could really keep up with me."
"You think...?" the drunk Huntsman said, containing himself from burping. "I feel like... I feel... I feel... I haven't been like this for a while."
"I like that, lad, and wished you could live long like Long-Ears or me, we could be drinking buddies for decades, no, centuries!"
"Why cannot be now?" Scythe Rouge asked, trying to keep his balance while holding the glass of whiskey.
"Aye, you know what? I'll drink to that!" the dwarf rose his cup of fire wine as high as his stubby arms would allow him. Scythe Rouge returned the gesture, cracking a smile as those two were content. The others began to feel confused if they forgot that they were in competition; there would be no real winners, but at least it was for sure there was one loser. The elf already fell asleep as those two shouted, "Cheers!"
Everyone left them to be for the rest of the night. Spearman had too many of those despite not participating. Witch helped him out while saying goodbye. The longer the celebration went, the more people began to leave. Priestess helped Goblin Slayer as she started hearing him snoozing within his helmet. Grimm Slayer and Brawler helped their uncle to carry him back to bed after allegedly winning the contest since Dwarf Shaman just passed out mere seconds before Scythe Rouge. It could end up as a draw, but since neither could tell, it would be better for the rest of the people to keep the result in the dark whenever these two drunks ask, only for the giggles.
The guild tavern became silent, with only the staff cleaning up the tables. Despite the mess, there was nothing to complain about since it showed that there was at least another day to live.
The staff would always be more than glad to welcome anyone to come back for another good time.
Early in the morning, Grimm Slayer was the first from her party to wake up. She probably wasn't too tired like the rest after finally relaxing during last night's celebration. She could see the girls still soundly sleeping, with her sister being the only one snoring. There was no point in being in the room at the moment. The young Huntress got out of the bed and changed her clothes silently before leaving.
She tiptoed across the hall since Paladin's party and her uncle were both next door. This was one of those rare instances that she was the only person up at this hour. Perhaps the reason could be that her mind was on something else that she didn't want to waste another minute.
She already went to the Guild's hall lobby, deserted for the most part as adventurers still didn't come yet. Guild Girl was the only one present, busy writing documents and other formalities before the active hours. She seemed diligent and professional for the hooded girl since Huntsmen weren't the bureaucratic types unless was one of the Headmasters or Professors from the Huntsman Academies. Seeing someone handling the paperwork was somewhat refreshing.
"Good morning," the receptionist greeted with a natural smile before turning back to her work.
"Morning. You work this early?"
"Most of the time when there is a lot of quests."
"That seems a lot," Grimm Slayer commented as she saw the pile of papers on Guild Girl's desk.
"It is..." the receptionist sighed. She rubbed her eyes and took a sip of tea whenever she stopped writing.
Grimm Slayer couldn't help but feel bad. "Do you need help?"
"It is fine, thank you," Guild Girl politely declined the offer while putting on her best smile. "I have my tea infused with some stamina positions, but I appreciate it."
"Okay," Grimm Slayer replied. She began walking towards the exit, but before touching the doorknob, another thing came up to her mind. Guild Girl might know something about the armored guy. "Hey, can I ask you something? I hope I'm not interrupting your job."
"Not at all," the receptionist said as she put her pen down. "I'm just finishing up ahead of time. What would you like to know?"
"Alright, so, uh, what can you tell me about Goblin Slayer?"
"Goblin Slayer?" the receptionist beamed, sparking some curiosity and interest. "What do you want to know about him?"
"Well, why does he hunt only goblins? I mean, I don't think it's wrong, but sometimes he could take a break or something."
"Unfortunately, I don't think I can give a proper answer," Guild Girl said with a weak smile. "But I'm more than thankful that he does take goblin requests."
"Why do you say that?"
"Since goblins are troublesome creatures. Not many adventurers would take such jobs because either those are too dangerous for rookies or too cheap for veterans. So, no one wants to take them, and villages suffer a lot." Guild Girl smiled, and it was a more warm, sincere one. "However, I still remember the first time he came here right when I started this work. The number of requests posted on the board was numerous. I was surprised that not a single person would accept them until Goblin Slayer came around. He not only began picking the requests alone but also returned for more without stopping. While it was concerning, you could say that he helped a lot."
Grimm Slayer remained silent as she processed the receptionist's story. While she didn't get the answer she hoped for, the Huntress learned some of the positive impacts the armored guy did. It was nice to hear.
"Also," Guild Girl continued," the only thing I wish he should change would be finishing his reports after completing each request. It is extra paperwork, but that's a minor incovinience that I don't mind."
"I suppose so," Grimm Slayer said. However, her voice gave out a somewhat unsatisfied tone that Guild Girl quickly noticed.
"Is everything alright, you don't seem happy with my answer."
"No, no! I think I have an idea!" the hooded girl clarified. "Thank you so much!"
"No problem." Before both would continue their respective businesses, the receptionist had one more thing to discuss. "By the way, I heard that your uncle is Scythe Rouge, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Nothing in particular. I hoped you could leave him a message for me when he wakes up. My superiors want to talk to him."
"Sure, but I hope he doesn't sleep the whole day, though."
"If so, I will make sure he gets up for then," Guild Girl said, but her tone gave an uneasy air underneath that cheerful face. She might be was joking, just maybe. The hooded girl hoped.
Grimm Slayer began thinking who else could tell her more about Goblin Slayer. Of course, his party was the best option, but not at this hour of the morning. She had to wait later, but who else could she ask? She had to recall the people the armored guy interacts in a daily basis.
Considering how often he maintains his equipment, the Blacksmith was the next stop on Grimm Slayer's list.
The blacksmith shop was empty sans the old man himself, sitting on a chair while smocking with his pipe. He didn't seem to notice the hooded girl entering. Even when she approached the Blacksmith, he was still unaware of her presence. "Umm... excuse me?" Grimm Slayer said shyly. She still got no response, however. "Hello?"
Blacksmith only opened his good eye, finally looking at the hooded girl. "What? Oh, it's you," he said. "Sorry girl, we're still not open yet."
"I know, but I was wondering if I can ask you some questions."
"Questions, eh? What's on your mind?"
"Okay, so, what do you know about Goblin Slayer?"
Blacksmith stopped smoking and raised an eyebrow. "Can you be less vague?"
"What I mean is that if you know the kind of person Goblin Slayer is."
"I see..." Blacksmith said. He smoked from his pipe as he reflected for a moment before starting speaking. "All I can say about this guy is that you don't see adventurers of that kind often nowadays. Right when he stepped into my shop for the first time five years ago, he wasn't as green as most unprepared fools thinking that they can handle any job with no armor and a long sword. Bah! Can you believe it?"
"I guess...?"
"That's not all!" Blacksmith continued. "One thing that separates him from these runts is intuition. Because as I said the first time he came here, he almost got the right equipment despite the few mistakes. And let me tell you, praises from me aren't something I can easily spare to anyone. Remember that, young lady."
"Uh-huh..." Grimm Slayer's response was the same as before. Not getting much of what you hoped for. "Thanks for your time. I must keep going."
"Oh, before you go, I must to show you something."
"What is it?"
Blacksmith crouched and looked inside a drawer. He put a seemingly empty leather pouch on the table for the hooded girl to see it. Then, he gestured for her to look inside it. Grimm Slayer peeked while looking with one eye, but she couldn't see anything. So she held it upside down and waited to drop whatever was on her palm. Her expression said it all. "Is that...?"
"You betcha!" Blacksmith said proudly. "Isn't that what you hoped for?"
Right between her fingers, Grimm Slayer looked carefully at a small round object against the light. There was no mistake what she was examining it.
"Where did you get this pellet?" she asked, still with awe.
"I made it myself!"
"Really!?"
"After seeing one of yours the last time you were here, it gave me some sort of inspiration that made me feel forty years younger. However, what you have in your hand is one of the successful attempts. My apprentice and I pulled that out for the whole night until we could get it right."
"This looks like the real thing," Grimm Slayer complimented.
"Sure it is. How about you test it whenever you go for your next quest?"
"Wait, are you sure?" she replied nervously. "Don't you need it or something?"
"It is no problem. I have another for reference. Consider it as a free sample. If you don't like it, you can just complain."
"Thank you so much!"
Grimm Slayer left the store as she could hear Blacksmith's rare chuckles. But, at the very at least, she didn't leave empty-handed. The hooded girl wondered how it would work since this wasn't made in Remnant since some of the materials and processes were different. Of course, but that didn't stop her from admiring the pellet.
There were still people to ask, and Grimm Slayer lost the notion of time.
She decided to explore around the town. She saw some of the decorations for the festival were already finished before the great day. It looked colorful and vibrant as she walked down the street with various food stands and games ready. It could be nice to spend time with the others and have fun. So the hooded girl hoped while they were still far from home. There was no telling when they would come back since Grimm always appeared in different locations.
She wondered how her Dad was going back at Patch. The only news she got from her uncle was that Dad was at least back teaching at Signal Academy. However, he still didn't interact with anyone else outside the house. That was concerning, but it would be good to visit him as soon as she and her party return to Remnant.
"Ugh... my head still hurts..." Nearby, Grimm Slayer could hear someone groaning as she walked by a store. Then, she saw High Elf Archer, Dwarf Shaman, and Lizard Priest leaving the locale as the elf held her head with irritated eyes.
"See? That's what happens to your kind that doesn't do enough parties."
The elf gave a dignified look when turning at the dwarf. "For your information, we elves have the most fantastic parties in all kingdoms. Something that you wouldn't know since our standards are higher than yours."
"Standards? Yeah, right!" Dwarf Shaman refuted. "Your parties have nothing but leaves for snacks, spring water with little to no liquor, and boring chit-chat. No wonder elven parties are exclusive; people would die out of boresome if they attend one of them!"
"Why, you little..."
"Sir Mage, Milady Ranger, please..." Lizard Priest stepped in between those two rowdy adventurers. "No need to be confrontational. We can all agree that not all events are for everyone's liking. Still, it is always good to understand each other's traditions without the necessity to judge." The elf and dwarf seemed to calm down after hearing their companion.
"Your right, Scaly," he said. "Agree to disagree, I suppose."
"I guess that's the only thing we can agree," High Elf Archer sighed.
As these two began shaking hands, the lizardman started to feel someone's presence approaching them. He turned his head in the person's direction, and with a much joyful attitude, he saw Grimm Slayer weaving at the group. "Ahh, Milady Slayer, what pleasure to see you," Lizard Priest said with a smile.
"Hello, everyone," Grimm Slayer greeted.
"Hey, lass," Dwarf Shaman said with a warmer expression. At least, much friendlier than interacting with the elf. "I have to say, your uncle is quite a fun fellow."
"He is quite a character."
"So, why are you so early? I thought you would rest a little more after last night," High Elf Archer asked.
"I was actually looking for you for some questions," the hooded girl said. The adventurers looked intrigued.
"What would you like for us to satiate your curiosity, Milady Slayer?" Lizard Priest said as he had his finger touching his chin.
"It's about Goblin Slayer. I would like to know if you have an idea what kind of person he is."
The trio of adventurers had their eyes at each other, sorting their thoughts regarding the armored guy. Their opinions varied.
"What exactly you would like to know?" the elf said. "Orcbolg is such a stubborn person that wouldn't stop talking about goblins every single minute."
"I mean, since he's been part of your party for quite some time, I hoped you would have an idea why he is obsessed with hunting goblins."
"Oh-ho, that's what you meant?" Dwarf Shaman began processing the question. "With honesty, we don't know either."
"Really?"
"Regrettably so," Lizard Priest said as he joined hands. "The first time we heard about Sir Goblin Slayer was when we began hearing ballads of his accomplishments. That was back then we tried to recruit someone for our cause against the Demon Lord's forces."
"And so much for our luck," High Elf Archer added. "He wasn't what I imagined. The idea of being an adventurer was supposed to be going on, well, adventurers, right? But not him! He doesn't have much interest on doing anything else unless we make a deal whenever we help hunting goblins."
"That sounds like you don't like him very much," Grimm Slayer commented.
"Oh no, don't get me wrong. I do respect Orcbolg as an adventurer, but there's always the fact he should do something more than the same routine."
"You can't change who he is, Long-Ears!" the dwarf interjected. "You can't ask a bird not to fly! You can't force a fish to walk on land! It is the same deal with Beard-Cutter!"
"Oh? And you think it is okay just to let him do whatever he wants?"
"If he is good in something, and that's okay to let him be. You still don't understand how people work since you are still in your little fantasy of an ideal adventurer."
"Oh yeah? I will show you what an ideal adventurer is as soon as we go for another quest!"
"Oh, dear..." Lizard Priest sounded exasperated despite maintaining his calm demeanor when his companions began arguing. " It seems that they are it again."
"I should keep going, then," Grimm Slayer said. "It was a nice talk."
"The feeling is mutual, Milady Slayer," the lizardman waved at the hooded girl as he tried to keep his allies' heated discussion civil. But, unfortunately, it was still louder as she kept walking far from them.
Grimm Slayer returned to the Guild's hall and sat by one of the chairs in the lobby. She got exhausted pretty quickly when asking around but still not having real answers. Goblin Slayer began to seem enigmatic to the point that she wondered if he was human. Of course, he is human, but what exactly was his thoughts was another story that the hooded girl may never know.
Even if she knew the details, there was still that question of what it meant to be an adventurer. All that was different from being a Huntsman that would either risk their lives for peace and justice or make a living to gain fortune and glory. The reasons vary but rarely turn out heroic. So it was probably better to give up.
"Hello, Grimm Slayer," Priestess greeted the hooded girl as she entered the lobby. "How are you doing?"
"Hey... I'm fine." The young Huntress still looked sideways with a distraught expression. The cleric could see it as day.
"Are you alright? Is something bothering you?"
"Huh?" Grimm Slayer turned, confuse. "What? Oh, um, it's, uh, it's nothing, really..." she tried to excuse herself, but she didn't sound very convincing.
"Is it about Goblin Slayer?"
"Yeah..."
"I understand."
Both girls stood in silence, sighing while looking at other adventurers walking around and checking the quest board. Even without saying more, they got the message across. It wasn't easy to know someone who doesn't like to talk about himself. However, not everything was lost as Grimm Slayer remembered little details from the people she spoke with in the morning. In a matter, despite not knowing about him personally, but even the little victories make a difference in the world. Not everything was a loss as the hooded girl chuckled.
"Did you asked everybody?" Priestess said.
"Yeah, but I guess I don't need it since at least I learned enough about him."
"Well, I was thinking you are missing one more person if you are still curious."
"The spear guy? Ehh... I don't think so."
Priestess shook her head. "No, I'm talking about someone else."
"Who?"
Before she could answer, the lobby got vivid when three weird-looking men bust through the Guild hall's main door. They gave that loud, odd presence that everyone in the place stopped minding their business. The adventurers started fixing on those strangers:
The first one had a shorter height and had darker skin than the other two. He wore a green bandana on his head and had various daggers around his belt. He looked like the friendliest of the bunch whenever he smiled and waved at other people.
The second one had a bigger build even while wearing a withered chest plate and shoulder pads. He carried a massive club on his back while giving a mean look to whoever looked back. The most striking feature was the two scars on the left side of his jaw.
The last one seemed the least remarkable, yet he could still look imposing with the inexpressive face behind the glasses and the strange weapon on his back. It looked like a spear, but its shape was uneven.
Those three weren't definitely adventurers due to their appearance and attitude.
"Yo! Is this Goblin Slayer guy here!?" the first man called out, but he got smacked behind the head by the second one. "Oww!"
"Would you shut up!? This isn't how you ask!" the second man said upsettingly.
"I assume it would be better asking to the staff," the third one commented as he looked composed while pushing his glasses back.
"That would be so helpful, Four-Eyes, but don't let this idiot talk to anyone working here."
"I think that's a little too late for that." The third man began to point at the desk where Guild Girl talked to the jovial man. She put on her professional smile, but there was still some annoyance. The big guy sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Hello," he said while giving a flirting look to the receptionist. "I was wondering if you would know where Goblin Slayer is, if you don't mind."
"I would certainly tell you, but sadly, I haven't seen him today. Maybe if you wait for him, then you might find him here."
"Well, while we are waiting, how about we chat a little?" The big guy walked towards the jovial one, and without warning, he began pulling his ear with just the forefinger and the thumb. "Oww, oww, oww!"
"Knock it off, man, she ain't interested in you," the big guy said.
"We are going to wait by the tavern. Sorry for the disturbances," the serious man apologized as all three walked away from the desk.
The adventurers and staff began talking in confusion, and as the gossip grew, Grimm Slayer and Priestess were curious. Who were they, and what did they want with Goblin Slayer?
"Should we talk to them?" Priestess asked.
"At least until Goblin Slayer arrives. It would be rude making them wait," Grimm Slayer replied before she and the young adventurer stood up from their seats and headed to the tavern. Naturally, there were a lot of questions. However, the first thing that the hooded girl knew without a mistake was that these people were Huntsmen.