Goblin Knight - Chapter 123
Only Noblemtl
〈Episode 123〉 How to become friends with animals (Part 1)
* * *
Evil is dead.
The mercenary set out to pursue his own good.
The wolf came looking for a new line.
I can’t say that the three days I spent in Robbery Village were perfect, but it was a good ending that allowed me to confidently nod my head in recognition of having done good.
It was also proof that they were growing.
But why is that?
Annely was in a very bad mood right now.
‘… … What.’
Dinner was deer meat hunted by wolves.
No matter how good Agnelli was at cooking, it was nearly impossible to get rid of the smell of deer outdoors unless she had special tools, so she had to cook it in the form of boiled meat with lots of spices.
But, because the bad smell was not completely gone, we finished a hearty meal with wine imported from the village.
As Annelie was cleaning up, she thought.
‘Good. Master, you’ve got a new friend, and a fine horse… a fine horse? Something like that, so everything’s good, right?’
Armor, sword, fine horse, spear, weapon, companion.
When Annelies followed Blanc, these were the things he had been told were necessary to become a true knight.
As he progressed on his journey, Blanc began to acquire the elements necessary for a knight, whether he wanted to or not, and this time he did so again.
I wasn’t entirely happy with my new ‘friend’, but I could accept it because Blanc was satisfied.
‘Because my master’s happiness is my happiness. But… … .’
But then again, why does she look so upset?
‘… … If you come just a little later, what’s the problem? Even in Nero’s case, it took three days!’
Anneli’s gaze was directed to the spot where the new member of the group, the giant wolf Trasha, had been preying until just a moment ago.
Now, only the shadows of the forest remained, either to get a drink of water or to guard the surrounding area.
Still, Annely looked at the spot with eyes full of resentment and lament.
‘Just a little longer! Just a little longer and I will do as that lecher did to my master!’
Daytime after breaking up with Ray.
Annely’s appearance of being upset with Blanc for almost an hour was actually a kind of ruse.
‘I’m really upset, so if you want to lighten this mood, you’ll have to use some strong means, right?’ he said, trying to get Blanc to use the ‘greeting’ he had learned from Ray once more.
In fact, the scheme was almost successful.
‘Why did you come to me at that time of all times! If only I had stayed for 10 more minutes, we could have gone beyond a simple hug and kissed, no, maybe even gone beyond that… …!’
Now that all the schemes have gone down the drain.
Annely witnessed her beloved master being toyed with by another woman right before her eyes.
Even the chance to compensate for that regretful and sad feeling was wasted because of the wolf who suddenly joined.
Of course, I couldn’t help but feel bad.
‘… … But it’s not like there’s anything I can do about it.’
Anneli recalled Blanc’s appearance after the wolf Trasha joined.
The image of the owner, who had fulfilled his long-held dream of becoming friends with animals, smiling innocently and brightly like a child.
What more could you ask for from a boy who is so genuinely happy?
If you continue to hold on to the wrong thoughts that have already occurred, you will only be tarnishing that joy.
Sighing and sighing, Annelly decided to just consider this incident as bad luck.
Close your eyes and calm your mind.
Not as a girl whose heart burns with love, but as a loyal servant who devotes herself only to her master.
Annely, who had fully armed herself mentally, opened her eyes, thinking that she should prepare for camping now that she had finished eating and bathing… … .
Blanc’s face appeared before my eyes.
“Master?”
“Well, Annely.”
If she had been in the ‘loving girl’ mode just a little while ago, she would have blushed and been shaken by Blanc’s sudden appearance.
But she returned as a loyal servant.
Annelie looked at his face with a faint, reverent smile toward her master.
It was a face that seemed to want to ask something… … .
“How can I become friends with animals?”
“yes?”
Annely tilted her head in pure curiosity.
I heard that question in Robbery Village too.
It was Blanc’s question, as he didn’t know Trasha’s story yet and couldn’t understand how the Goblin Chief could ride a wolf.
But now that you’ve solved Trasha’s tragedy and joined the party on your own, there’s no need to ask that again, right?
“Are you talking about animals other than Trasha?”
“It’s not completely wrong, but it’s different. What I want to know is how to become closer to Trasha.”
“With the wolf?”
“Yeah. I just vaguely thought about wanting to get closer to you, but once we actually became colleagues, I didn’t know what to do next.”
Blanc sighed and said.
“As far as I know, the only ‘things animals like’ are feeding and having their heads stroked. But even those are awkward, so Trasha doesn’t seem to like them very much.”
“…….”
“Do you know any good way, Annelie?”
Hearing Blanc’s awkward question.
In an instant, Annely, as a ‘loyal servant devoted to his master’, used all the knowledge and wisdom contained in his brilliant mind to find the answer.
But the moment I tried to say the answer.
Annely, who suddenly reached a certain possibility, closed her mouth for a moment and decided to think a little more.
And a few seconds later.
Annely had the kindest smile in the world.
* * *
“Of course, master.”
“Oh.”
Annely answered confidently.
His seed, who knew a surprising amount, knew the answer this time too.
Blanc thought it was a good idea to consult her and urged her to answer with a bright face.
But before he could answer, Annelie, with a kind smile on her face, offered him something.
It was a barrel rippling with purple liquid.
“Wine? Why all of a sudden?”
“It doesn’t mean anything. The story might be a bit long, but I thought you might get thirsty in the meantime. Do you not feel like it?”
“No, I was definitely a little thirsty. You’re always considerate of me. Thank you.”
“It is my pleasure.”
Blanc moistened his throat with wine from the barrel.
I had already had a lot to drink at dinner, so I wondered if it would be okay, but with Annely right next to me, I didn’t really seem to have anything to worry about.
Blanc, who had fully savored the bitter and sour, yet sweet taste that was appealing to the hand, put the empty can down on the floor.
Annely, who had been watching the scene with a smile, opened her mouth.
“It may be the result of many coincidences, but I am confident that there are few people who know as well as I do about ‘how to become friends with wolves’, which you just asked about.”
“Huh. Why?”
“I once crossed a frozen canyon with a pack of frostwolves when I was in the North. It’s one of the few good memories I have before I met you, Master.”
“…….”
Blanc became very curious about her old life.
“Well, I’ll tell you that story someday when I get the chance… Back to the main topic, there are three main ways to become friendly with animals: gaining their trust, feeding them, and skinship.”
“I don’t think Trasha will be tempted by the food, and I think I’ve earned her trust enough, so all that’s left is skinship. But what is skinship?”
“It’s not that difficult.”
Annelie smiled and took his hand.
Blanc tilted his head. Why all of a sudden?
And Annely’s next action had such explosive power that it blew away all such doubts.
“Ugh……”
“──!!??”
She started licking her fingers with her pink tongue.
“Oh, Anneli? Anneli? What is this now?”
“Don’t get any weird ideas, Master. This isn’t any sexual act, it’s animal bonding. I’m a wolf cub now. Or a rabbit cub.”
“Uh, uh? Is that so?”
“That’s right. Whatever it is, I’m just an animal that came to you because I wanted to be friends with you. I’m just a young animal. So if you want to make me your pet, what would be the first thing you would do?”
“…Um, like, stroking my head?”
“That’s right. That’s the basics of skinship. Now, would you like to try it?”
“……To you?”
“For me.”
Annelie smiled and whispered as if this situation was so natural.
Was it because I accepted the girl’s attitude and thought, ‘I see…?’, or was it because the alcohol that had risen to me before I knew it was starting to paralyze my reason?
Blanc followed his words as if he were possessed.
The other hand, not caught in Annelies mouth, began to stroke the girl’s head.
“Ehehe… very well… done… churut.”
“…That, Annelie, I think this is something different. Of course, Trasha licked my hand too.”
“But this is just the beginning. Just stroking the head isn’t enough to be considered skinship.”
As if she hadn’t heard Blanc’s answer, Anneli held his hand and spoke while blinking.
It was truly an incredibly hopeless feeling.
Blanc felt ashamed of himself for no reason, for he could not see even a single hint of selfishness in her violet eyes that he had glimpsed.
What kind of evil thoughts could you have towards a girl who was so devoted and even sacrificed her body to impart her knowledge?
“Let’s move on to the next step. Don’t just pat her head. Touch her back firmly, gently, as if you were combing her hair….”
“……Your hair has grown a bit, but it still doesn’t reach your back.”
“It’s okay. This is just practice. Practice to get close to animals. So just imagine my hair is there and touch it.”
Blanc followed her lead.
Feeling the girl’s soft hair with your fingertips, you comb it down, over her neck, and back…
“Hee, heeeeeee… ah!”
Annely arched her body like a bow at the foreign sensation of a warm hand gently running down her spine.
A pitiful voice lingered in my ears.
* * *