Chapter 288- Gathering raw materials

Gathering raw materials

"Elder Brother Ming, the forest around us is secure. I'm heading out to scout ahead with Fenrir."

Dyna reported in a monotonous tone to the oldest male in the resting party. The redhead then flickered among the trees just as quickly as she appeared. No doubt, she had honed her 'blink' ability like them so as to avoid tripping on exposed roots and vines.

Ming blinked his eyes before switching an uncomfortable face towards Chu.

"Hey, man. You need to sort whatever issues you have with that little troublemaker. I'm not used to her calling me Elder brother and treating me with respect. It's beginning to creep me out. That flat tone of her gives me the chills. I swear I woke up in a cold sweat last night."

"What are you complaining about? Didn't you always grumble that nobody respected you as the Eldest?"

"Pffft! Yeah right, Lucy. Even I can tell from the way she forces to talk to me that she would rather eat one of my pills than treat me with the respect and admiration which I downright deserve. Since our return from robbing the merchant, she has been ignoring Chu while reporting to me. My mind is not prepared for this."

The older teen complained while brushing back his black hair. Replying to the blue-eyed girl sitting opposite him, he tugged at the dried jerky with his light yellow teeth. The younger boy exhaled wearily like an experienced adult.

"She will soon get over it. Consider it a phase of a thirteen-year-old who wants to participate in adult matters. You, on the other hand, should hold back on chewing that smoking bush mixture. Did you see how Jim's teeth have begun to space out like dull yellow monoliths? That's you in a year. You'd better double down on rinsing with the mouthwash Old Hodge made after brushing them, or else no tavern girl will want you."

"Leave him alone, Chu. That idiot is lazy to even gargle with salt and water. As for Dyna, I think she just wants to be included in everything. No matter how large our family grows, don't forget we were the first."

Miki added as she hopped over the log to sit beside Lucy.

Chu sighed

"As much as possible, I really want her and Sakura to experience living like carefree girls. Initially, when we left the slums, my plan was to adventure around with Ming while you all assisted Clod in running our farm. Who expected it to puff up in smoke because of that wolf demon."

"Ahh! Did you think you could have left us on the farm while you and this letch roam around the Empire? As for Dyna, I think what she wants is for you to acknowledge her. I say, can you remember the day when Lucy nearly lost her life in protecting me from the female wolf?"

"Of course not. I don't think I can ever forget that evening when Ming and I returned from the village. Simon had just opened my mind as to the true power behind the demon beasts. I dare say, I had high hopes until we met you at the barn door."

Chu replied while casting a glance at the blond-haired girl. By a stroke of luck, he had raised his first Sersen. Since then, he never regretted handing over that awesome power to Lucy.

He raised his puzzled eyes to Miki in trying to understand why she brought up the past. The raven-haired girl locked eyes with him.

"Back then, when you asked Dyna to stitch the wound, she floundered and succumbed to panic. Since then she has done everything with the goal of seeking your praise. Sakura chose to help out by focusing on the business skills you always mentioned but Dyna is like us. She wants to live a life of adventure while traveling with you. You should know by now that very few situations can cause her and us to fluster."

Miki explained. The close interactions of the girls residing in the barn made it possible for them to know each other's thoughts.

"If that's the case, then I guess I will have a chat with her. Heaven alone knows I never had any siblings or understood these kinds of things. I should have spent a little more time studying personal behavior. This sort of matter would have been handled by HR or a psychiatrist."

"Hate to break it to you, Chu, but you're the head of this outfit. So it's up to you to sort this out. I've never heard in the tavern about that HR person. Ah! Wait, wait, Chu, I now figured something out..."

Ming paused and stood up as if stumbling on a life-altering vision.

"If I am this uncomfortable with Dyna talking to me, then that means she must be experiencing something similar. Heck, Chu, can you imagine how hard it is for her to roll out the words Elder Brother, from her tongue? Wait, wait, hold on yet on talking with her until we reach the cave. I need time to milk this to the fullest..."

***

The closest goblin tribe to the farm lay not to the northwestern ruins and home of the Shaman, but to the west. The journey required about a week's travel after passing the caves where Getsum Prickus met his end. Instead of serving as a base for a goblin vanguard, they now housed a working contingent of goblin smiths who pounded out superior iron billets.

This trip did not require him to bring along his Sersen companions who might have served best on the farm but he insisted on it. Soon they would have to travel to Frost City. Before they embark on that trip, he wanted them to gain as much opportunity in working and functioning as a team.

"I can't believe we let that pair of Great-Horned Deer pass us by. I swear that buck, shot me a condescending look while strutting alongside his doe. Why didn't you shoot his eye out, Miki? It's been too long since we had venison of that quality."

Ming smacked his lips while walking under the grove of towering trees. The open underbrush consisted of dried leaves that fell from their shady canopy high above them. He had fed on dried rations and small roasted game for over a week.

"And when I kill them, who will drag them along? We have yet to find signs of the goblin tribe who claim this territory as their own. Then we have to spend a week on our return home. How do you intend to preserve this meat during that time?"

"Miki, Miki, Miki. Situations like these are what highlight the difference between intellectuals. Your capabilities don't allow you to envision the thoughts of a superior mind. Unless you have lost us within the forest with your compass gizmo, the goblin tribe would be nearby. Think about what we could have bartered for that pair of deer."

The ponytailed girl snorted while ignoring the teen. Pretending she heard nothing, she turned to Chu.

"I know the goblin elder said to follow the setting sun from the caves but the span of this forest is enormous. This is like searching for a throwing knife in a haystack. Even with the compass as a guide, I am beginning to have some doubts."

"We marked a secret trail back to the caves of the goblin smiths and also possess the compass. Who knew the goblin we took from the lumberjack camp didn't belong to this tribe and didn't know the way. Luckily, we met Zubydia at the caves on an iron delivery run. We would have lost a few days waiting for a guide."

"Yes, only the owner of a superior mind could have drafted such a guide. Now we can only rely on Lucy and Dyna along with my compass..."

Ming flushed red on listening to the conversational topic. Clearing his throat, he joined in the hopes of steering away from the sore subject. Chu had given him an earful back then with a few slaps to the head.

"Now that I think about it, don't you find that the goblin territories are mightly close to the fringes of the forest? I mean, Chu, an adventurous party can stumble upon let's say the ruins, by only trekking a couple of weeks into the forest. Even the caves of the goblin metal workers are only a few days from our barn."

Chu looked at Lucy returning from scouting at the front before answering.

"I asked the Shaman about it. She said because of the reputation of the forest, humans dare not venture far. As for the ruins, they only claimed it after we cleared the spiders and unlocked most of its secrets. Since the Empire has no plans to intrude into the forest, small parties pose little problems to experienced forest goblins."

He made a wry smile before continuing,

"Also, the forest has its own rules. According to the Shaman, the goblins would rather take their chances against humans than fight over the territory from more dangerous foes lurking deeper inside. On all sides, this world offers countless places to explore."

Ming nodded on listening. Seeing a small opening between a clump of sparse underbrush, he stepped through. He heard the click and the swishing of a supple branch at the same time Lucy tugged him backward. Falling on his rump, he witnessed the spikes at the end of the branch bury themselves in the narrow space between his legs.

"What the heck? Again?"

***

Chu glanced at the yellow armbands on the others before signaling Lucy. The blue-eyed girl nodded as her nose twitched near unnoticed. Pointing to a tree, she confirmed the location. Chu stepped forward under the thick and high boughs. He had long summoned Dyna and her wolves to the group to avoid misunderstanding.

He had only walked a few paces when the arrow swooshed towards his chest. With his senses heightened, his body rotated to the right as his eye locked onto the passing projectile. Lifting his left arm, he grasped the shaft as it ground to a halt. The black feathers stopped just short of his closed fingers.

Smiling, he gazed up at the partially hidden little green figure holding the bow behind the leaves. Feeling confident in seeing the wide-open bulbous eyes, he then tapped the yellow armband on his shoulder. The effect had the goblin nearly falling off the branch. Clambering down, the goblin warily pointed to the armband.

Chu removed and handed it over. Sniffing the material, the goblin, widened its eyes some more before reverently returning it. The hidden attacker switched from the aggressor to a respectful guide in the blink of an eye.

"See, we found them. Ming, don't try to blackmail that goblin just because he shot at us. Miki, check our position. The goal of this trip is to gain as much black obsidian as possible. It would be a waste for us to journey to the north without stocking up on our modified talismans..."

****