Human King

"Useless Stray."

When Karkas heard what Moris said, his face immediately turned grumpy.

Well, he wasn't really mad about what he said, but Karkas couldn't stand that Moris was basically trampling over Dawn's trust in Karkas.

Karkas knew how much Dawn trusted him. And by ridiculing Karkas as someone useless, that would be ridiculing Dawn's trust.

In the end, it was a matter connected to their king.

That was why Karkas took it seriously. Even though he was not a fighting goblin, he stepped up proudly.

His steps brought his face closer to Moris' face, and he looked straight at Moris' eyes.

His demeanor was imposing, and his figure was bigger than before!

His voice was powerful, and it expressed his fiery resolution and determination to Moris.

"I am the one who is in charge of the entire village of the king. Do you really think you could talk to me that way, knowing I am the king's trusted servant?"

Karkas continued as he looked at Moris. They looked at each other on an even level, even though Moris should have a far bigger and stronger body than Karkas.

"Do you mean to say that you do not agree with what the king has placed his trust?"

For the goblins, the king's trust is an absolute way of knowing the hierarchy.

The strength also has some say about it and the Blessings of the Battlefield, but when the king appears, anything or anyone he appoints is the one who will stand at the top.

Right now, Moris was just an outsider who hasn't gained the Approval of the King.

And Moris was talking to Karkas, who basically had Dawn's trust as he was placed in an important position such as being in charge of the whole village.

Well, Dawn doesn't really know how to work those things out, so he just left it to Karkas.

Nevertheless, this action was seen by the goblins as Dawn placing his trust in Karkas.

That was why Karkas thought Moris was trying to take over Dawn's authority.

After all, there were various goblins out there in the world.

It was then.

As Moris finished sizing up his opponent, he spoke while having a smug look on his face.

It was as if he was a different goblin than before. He didn't look like the type that would try to convince other goblins!

"I agree with what he has trusted. But don't you think you are too lacking? Even if you're the Strategist of the king, your performance is just...disappointing."

Karkas' eyes widened to the brim when he heard Moris said.

His eyes then turned sharply, and his look was also completely hostile to Moris.

He prepared to raise his hand, the signal for the goblins that were watching them to attack, to attack Moris.

That was how much Moris' words alerted Karkas.

After all, it was something he never said to anyone, not even to his king.

"How'd you know that I am a Strategist?" Karkas asked, his voice was hoarse and low.

"Where do you think I came from?" Moris answered as such.

It seems he didn't like how Karkas was acting mighty just because he has the king's trust.

After all, from the recent event, he judged that Karkas didn't have the ability.

It was then.

As they continued their hot bickering with each other that it wouldn't be weird if some sparks broke out, a voice interrupted between them.

"Karkas!"

When both Moris and Karkas looked over to see who it was, that goblin...Ika continued running without paying attention to their intense stares.

She kept running until she reached their position. With a look that portrays that she just remembered something she forgot, Ika spoke.

"I-i, Dal, and Una are missing!" Her hands shook as she pointed in a certain direction.

"T-they went to fight off the Warmen in order to delay them...but I can't see them at all!"

Her body displayed her worry, and her anxious eyes expressed what she felt.

After all, those were her comrades ever since she was but a normal goblin.

Even though their deaths could be considered honorable, it was a pitiful death from a goblin's perspective.

They didn't die on the battlefield, surrounded by enemies and allies alike, after all.

And as he looked at Ika, Karkas soon realized what happened as he immediately brought his eyes to the forest.

'The king or...' Karkas thought as he shook his head.

Even though he wanted to save them as well, Dawn's recovery must be prioritized.

Even if all of the goblins here die right now just for the sake of Dawn, it would be the best sane decision for Karkas, and of course, for the other goblins, as well.

He was about to say something cruel to Ika, but another voice abruptly stopped him.

"They're still alive. I can feel them." Moris spoke as he confidently let out his chest as if to compare with Karkas.

"R-really!?" Ika shouted as her face brightened up immediately.

Well, as her face was monstrous, it wasn't easy to tell if she was pale or not.

Anyway, the news of Moris knowing their location was something that she was happy to hear.

That was why she immediately asked for their location with a 'Where are they?!'

However, Karkas stepped in between the two as he spoke sharply.

"Why do you believe him? He might be an enemy. Shouldn't you be wary of OUTSIDERS?"

His voice rose as he mentioned the last word while his eyes glanced over to Moris.

He expected Moris to say something, but surprisingly, he didn't.

After all, he was already gesturing for Ika to follow him.

And seeing that, Ika spoke to Karkas while running up to Moris.

"He healed the king! He's no outsider, is he?" Her voice sounded somewhat cheerful.

And as the duo disappeared in the dark shade of the forest, Karkas was dumbfounded.

"W-what? He healed the king?" He muttered as he tilted his head.

He didn't know Moris healed the king as he arrived late to see it. However, he has no excuses as Ika knows when she arrived at the same time Karkas arrived.

Well, Karkas can't be blamed for not knowing. After all, he only saw Moris kneeling by the side of Dawn.

He was focused on the battle, and he didn't talk about any matters that transpired before, so it could be said that he was quite late in gathering information.

"I-is that why he said that?"

Karkas remembered his little feud with Moris. He remembered how Moris ridiculed Karkas for being the Strategist.

And as someone who bears that name that was given by the Blessings of the Battlefield, Karkas knows how important information was.

And since Karkas didn't gather up information about what happened with the king and just proceeded to destroy the enemies, it could be said this move was somewhat disappointing.

"Hmm. I guess he isn't that stupid." Karkas hummed as he brought his hand in his chin while nodding his head.

Well, Karkas wasn't wrong with what he did. It was just a matter of perspective.

Either way, Karkas planned to take this as a lesson to make up for his king that was still lying in the ground unconscious.

****

As Moris and Ika traveled the forest together, they soon reached their destination.

It was the bloodied body...no, the corpse of Una and Dal. With Moris' speed at running, he was able to gather them up in no time at all.

He did this in order to lessen the time it would take. After all, if they were going to go both to their sides, it would take much longer.

After all, Ika couldn't keep up with Moris at all. One could compare them to an adult and a child trying to run.

And as they looked over Ika's comrades' bodies, Moris soon shouted out while having his palm out towards them.

"Heal." His voice sounded solemn, and his facial expression was serious.

Well, he was always serious.

It was then.

With the help of Moris' hand that shot out some kind of light, the bloodied corpse began to fix themselves.

The hole that could be seen on their bodies were being fixed at an incredible rate.

Their wounds were closing faster than what Ika could see. Their colors started returning as their blood started to circulate in their bodies.

Huuuu!

Their lungs breathed in some air desperately as soon as it felt okay to live.

Ika and Moris could see how their bodies transformed from a battered, dirty mess of blood into clean, robust bodies of strong goblins.

Well, it was mostly Moris who could see, but either way, Ika was still a witness as she saw that both of their bodies be fixed in a blink of an eye.

When their bodies finished healing up, both of them opened their eyes simultaneously.

They stared at the outside world as they thought they were already dead.

"W-what happened?" Una spoke as he caught sight of Ika.

And then...

"A goblin?" He muttered as he saw Moris.

Moris then turned around as he spoke.

"It was easy to heal you because the enemy didn't pay any attention to you."

And just like that, Moris left as he disappeared into the shadows of the night.

Whoooo.

The wind blew, and the three goblins were left as they looked at each other while blinking their eyes.

Well, Ika was happy about them being alive and all.

As such, she said with a dangerous smile.

"Tough bastards!"