Morning in Goblin's Grove was still fresh, with the earthy scent of yesterday's harvest lingering in the air. Jun stood at the edge of the now-empty field, staring quietly at the soil where the radishes once grew.
Godon was leading a group of goblins, cleaning up leftover roots and flattening the ground. The atmosphere felt peaceful—almost too peaceful.
Ever since the strange tremor in the northern mist the day before, Jun had been unable to shake off a growing sense of unease.
Whispers in the Fog
As afternoon approached, one of the goblin guards came sprinting from the northern edge, clearly panicked.
"Kruuk…! Kruuk! Something's there!"
Jun dropped what he was doing and rushed toward the fog's edge, spear in hand, heart steady but eyes sharp.
And there—amid the thick swirling mist—stood a shadow.
It was about 150 cm tall, lean and muscular, with ashen gray skin. Its glowing green eyes locked onto Jun's from afar.
The figure resembled a goblin… but it wasn't one of his. It was different—smarter, calmer, and far more dangerous.
"Is that... a goblin too?" Jun murmured to himself.
A Silent Encounter
Jun slowly stepped forward. The creature didn't move. It simply watched him—unblinking, unreadable.
The two remained in a wordless standoff, each studying the other for several tense seconds.
Then, in a blur of motion, the figure backed into the mist and vanished—fading into the fog like it had never been there.
Nightfall Discussion
That night, Jun called Godon and the goblin guards together.
"From now on, we'll take turns on night watch. No one stands guard alone."
He drew a crude map in the dirt, planning guard post rotations and defensive positions.
Jun understood one thing clearly:The creature didn't attack—but it was watching. Waiting.
And Jun would not allow Goblin's Grove to be an easy target.
End of Chapter
Before heading to bed, Jun jotted something down in his notebook:
"I saw a creature beyond the mist today. Not a regular monster—it was measuring me.If it could cross the boundary, others might too.I need to strengthen our defenses... and train my goblins more seriously."
He looked up at the artificial sky above Goblin's Grove, now painted in a dusky red. Silent, yet heavy with tension.