Wizard: I am a goblin

Chapter 124 Departure!

Seeing the old priest trembling with excessive excitement, Gebu knew something was wrong and quickly tried to dissuade him:

"Father Usa... I am deeply moved by your enthusiasm, but you are getting on in years, and it may not be suitable for you to embark on this adventure with us."

"I finally understand the Lord's will. I was too narrow-minded and stubborn before, letting prejudice blind me... Your words have awakened me. Rest assured, this candle, which is about to burn out, still has a little energy left, and I will use it to convey the Lord's will!"

"If something happens after you leave, what will happen to the believers of the Chifang Diocese? Your duty is in the church, not in the wilderness... It's more appropriate for me and Dove to handle this kind of thing."

Geb used a combination of coaxing and persuasion, exhausting his words, before finally calming the agitated old priest down.

Usha realized he had acted impulsively; taking such a risk at his age was truly reckless. He apologized to Gebu, then looked at the halfling with satisfaction and said:

"It makes me ashamed that the Lord has such a devout and courageous young believer. I was too engrossed in my own ideas and never considered that spreading the Holy Church and enlightening all beings is the highest and most sacred duty of a priest. You will have my support, young man."

Upon hearing this, Gebu quickly pressed his advantage: "In that case, could you write me a letter of recommendation? With this letter, I will have a foundation to establish a missionary organization within the Chamber of Commerce."

The priest hesitated for a moment. If he wrote this letter, this so-called missionary organization would be linked to the name of Usha. Whether it would be a blessing or a curse remained to be seen. He was merely a local parish priest, far from being qualified in terms of position and prestige to make such an important decision as "missionary work in the Empire."

But he didn't care.

"At my age, what do I have left to lose?" the priest said resolutely. "I trust you, young man. Go and spread the name of the Lord to every corner of the continent."

Gebu quickly took out paper and pen and had the priest write a letter. He deliberately made the priest write ambiguously, so that Father Usha would support him in joining the caravan to do the "holy mission of the Lord." In high spirits, the old man didn't think much of it. After writing it, he stamped it with his holy ring emblem, giving the document official certification.

This statement can be interpreted from multiple angles, Geb thought, he could even use this letter to declare war... Of course, Father Usa's name doesn't have that much power.

After finishing his business, Geb, fearing the priest might change his mind, hurriedly said goodbye and left the church.

Usha watched the halfling's departing figure, his eyes welling up with tears.

"Obak, thank you... What an outstanding young man..."

There was one thing that struck the priest: Why did this handsome young man exude such a goblin-like aura?

Maybe my eyes are getting old and I'm seeing things...

-----------------

The third day after Dulin was arrested.

Around nine o'clock, when it was broad daylight, the town square was crowded with people; most of the town's residents had come to see what was going on.

Among the crowd, Sheriff Matthew, accompanied by four knights (two heavily armored knights and two lightly armored squires) and twelve conscripted militiamen on foot, waited in the middle of the square, fully equipped.

On a donkey cart were fishing nets, ropes, and chains—most notably, a huge siege crossbow. The base of the crossbow had been removed for easy carrying, and next to it were steel-tipped bolts as thick as a wrist, with chains attached to the tails, making it look very imposing.

Before the soldiers stood Alphonse, the lord's son; Father Usha; and Lady Stoneheart, the dwarf, with their hands behind their backs. Though standing together, none of the three spoke. The nobleman and the dwarf nodded to each other, but there was no other exchange.

On the other side of the square, Gebu, the knife-wielding woman, and the hostage were making their final preparations.

The swordswoman polished the knight's equipment until it shone, and the hostage helped her tie her hair up in a bun, then tucked a wild rose into her hair.

The little girl was sullen and silent, her distress written all over her face. Dove noticed the girl's mood and squatted down in front of her.

"Don't worry, Tani, we'll definitely come back safely."

"……Um."

"If Gebu doesn't come back, I'll take care of you, don't worry."

"Who are you cursing?" Gebu asked without looking up as he checked the equipment.

"What if neither of you comes back..." the hostage murmured.

"..." Dove was silent for a few seconds, then said in a low voice, "I've spoken with the merchants; if I'm gone, they'll send you to Silverwater City. My savings are enough to cover your travel expenses. You're a strong child; you'll be alright."

"I..." The hostage's eyes reddened.

Gebu couldn't stand it anymore and interrupted the two of them:

"Is that bad luck? My plan is flawless. Sword Girl, come quickly and help me load the boxes onto the car, I can't carry them."

The female knight glared at Gebu. "Do you have any manners...? By the way, why did you carry fifty kilograms of lead out of the city? Are you going to use that thing to crush the manticore to death?"

"Don't you understand? We're going to hunt orcs, not scorpion lions—these aren't lead blocks, they're 5000 gold coins that could save Durin's life."

"ha?"

"They're not stupid. If they see us arrive empty-handed, they'll just kill the hostage. The enemy is in the dark, while we're in the light. We have to put on a good show."

"Your brain... is entirely used for lying," the swordswoman muttered.

"Stop talking nonsense and get to work!"

-----------------

The swordswoman and Geb joined the main force. The swordswoman greeted the lord, and Geb bowed to the old priest.

The old priest stepped forward first:

"May the Lord protect His most devout pioneers."

Led by the priest, the crowd quieted down and followed Usa in reciting the prayer from the holy decree. He gently touched the swordswoman's forehead, blessing the female knight.

After the blessing ceremony, Lady Shi Xin came out, gave Gebu an approving look, and then slowly addressed the crowd:

"Gentlemen, I have waited for this day for a long time. We have all contributed to the prosperity of the kingdom. As a merchant guild from a foreign land, we hold the Church of Obak and the kingdom in the highest esteem... Out of respect for the church and support for the Rose Knight, after this trial, the Salt and Iron Merchant Guild is willing to sponsor the Rose Knight to embark on her pilgrimage—may she spread the holy name of Obak to every corner of the continent."

Lady Stoneheart turned around and solemnly performed a dwarf's salute to the female knight and Father Usha—touching her heart, and then bending down to touch the earth.

The female knight performed a consecrated bow. Father Usa's expression was somewhat complicated; he hesitated for a moment, then gave a simple nod.

As all this was happening, Sheriff Matthew looked somewhat uneasy, as if his armor didn't fit properly.

"What's wrong? Haven't used your sword in a while? Your bones have rusted?" the plump nobleman Alphonse joked to the sheriff.

"Acting Lord, this is more impressive than we expected... Are you sure you want to continue with the previous plan?" the sheriff said in a low voice.

The chubby man glanced at the crowd, exhaling through his nostrils as if he were somewhat displeased.

"Yes, I didn't expect this woman to make such a big fuss... The bigger the bubble gets, the bigger the commotion it will cause when it's popped. Either nip it in the bud, or let it explode somewhere else..."

"What do you mean by that? What exactly am I...?"

"Be careful. Isn't that woman very eager? Let her go first. If she dies, it won't be our fault."

"But what if she succeeds?" Matthew asked.

"What if she succeeds?" The chubby man chuckled. "By Obak, even a scorpion couldn't kill this woman. Even if you wanted to, could you possibly kill her?"

"..." Matthew pondered the words of the chubby man, remaining silent. He seemed to understand, yet also seemed not to.

"Don't overthink it, Sir Matthew. There's only one thing you need to worry about: don't let my father's precious knight die at the hands of the manticore."

Having said this, Alphonse stepped forward to the front of the crowd, bowed to the Rose Knight, and then greeted the priest and Lady Stoneheart. He cleared his throat, waited for the crowd to quiet down, and then began to speak:

"As the acting lord, a descendant of the Red Baron family of Chifang, and the guardian of Chifang Town and the surrounding area..."

The crowd watched the chubby man expectantly, waiting for him to speak. But Alphonse stopped.

"...I think the time for the speech is over. Under the guidance of the Holy Lord, we will surely achieve victory!"

"Set off!"

The crowd paused for a moment, and Geb quickly sent a message to Dove.

"Quickly, show your support!"

The swordswoman immediately pretended to draw her longsword and pointed it at the sky!

"In the name of Oppak!"

The crowd erupted in a deafening roar of cheers!

Only one person did not react.

Geb keenly spotted the hooded oddity in the crowd—her beastly eyes were fixed on the halfling, unwavering.