(August 2023: This was something written back on August 2022, a whole year ago. I took it down not long after it was published but I thought about reuploading it. No plans to update it, however.)
Satoru Mikami was an individual difficult to pin down...
As he'd so boldly proclaimed a day earlier, Rigurd had everything I needed that afternoon. He had even chosen the team members for my expedition into the Dwarven Kingdom already.
Well, I only need one thing, though.
For the village's security, I can't have them come with me, either.
Once I picked up my luggage, Ranga eagerly followed me.
Ranga's enough of an escort.
My luggage primarily consisted of money and food, three days' worth.
On the monetary side, we had seven silver pieces and twenty-four bronze pieces. Even I could tell that wasn't much. My expectations weren't high, though, so that was fine. We'd just figure out what to do once we showed up.
I told Rigurd that I was going alone with Ranga. Of course, some protested, but some little glare from me is enough to shut them all up.
One of the named goblins, Gobta, who didn't change much even after evolving, told me about Dwargon.
He didn't make much sense, so I told him to close his eyes and imagine everything he knew about Dwargon.
I used my skills after that to read all his thought waves.
Easy. I thought. Now I know how the procedures work, where to go, and other important stuff.
Before I left, though, I changed my appearance. I don't wanna deal with perverts after all. The first time the goblins saw me, they were a blushing mess for like, 20 seconds.
Although I said changing my appearance, it's more like I just made my body more masculine, along with my hair and eye color too.
Doing this apparently earned me the "Universal Shapeshift" extra skill, but that can wait.
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••••••
For a goblin on foot, it would apparently take around two months to walk to the Dwarven Kingdom. We would be largely following the Great Ameld River, which flowed through the forest, up to its source in a mountain range that held the settlement we sought.
So we followed the plan, tracing the Great Ameld River's route northward. It certainly kept us from getting lost. I had a map in my mind anyway, just in case.
Ranga sure is fast, really. I was on his back, enjoying the wind. We might not even need two days for the whole trip.
.....
....
...
"Ranga!" I called out to the black wolf that was suddenly my biggest fan in the universe. "I'm kind of the guy who killed your father, aren't I? You don't have any lingering, you know, resentment about that?"
"I do have thoughts about it, my master. But to a monster, victory or defeat in battle is the only absolute in life. No matter how it turns out, we are aware of the fact that might makes right. Win, and the day is yours! Lose, and nothing shall remain! But...not only did my master forgive; he even gave me my once and future name for all time! I am filled with thankfulness, not resentment!"
