The Ultimate Sage Who Faked Incompetence and Was Disinherited Just Wants to Enjoy His New Life! - Episode 6: Strange

Episode 6: Strange

At that moment, Carrot-san cleared her throat with a single cough. 

“This mission is strictly a ‘Goblin Distribution Survey’. That means no unnecessary actions—like deciding to wipe them out just because their settlement is still small. Don’t even think about it.” 

Liner and I exchanged glances. That kind of scenario was common in stories—adventurers taking proactive measures to eliminate threats early. They were hoping to boost their reputation. 

“Absolutely not. Many adventurers have died that way. They were killed by higher-ranked Goblins that emerged from deeper within. And yes, even veteran adventurers are among them.” 

“We understand. We’ll keep that in mind.” 

“Fel, how about you?” 

“Got it.” 

Hearing our responses, Carrot-san nodded in approval. When Liner handed over the request form again, the Adventurers’ Guild officially accepted it. 

“Fel, I’ll go call the others. Wait for me in front of the guild.” 

“Understood.” 

We watched Liner head upstairs and then stepped outside. The cool morning air brushed past us. The city was still in a sleepy haze, with hardly anyone around. 

“Even if a higher-ranked Goblin appeared, it wouldn’t be a problem for Fel.” 

“That may be true. But Carrot-san couldn’t just say that outright. If Liner and the others started acting recklessly, it would be a problem.” 

“Is that so?” 

Lilia didn’t seem convinced. She claimed I’d have no trouble. But in reality, we’d never know until I actually fought one. The enemies I had faced so far were only Goblins, Grass Wolves, and assassins—my combat experience was still quite limited. 

—

By the time we reached the forest, the other two were fully awake. Before heading in, we chewed on dried meat for breakfast. 

“I didn’t even notice the Goblin numbers were decreasing,” 

Luciana said, checking the request form. 

We had just arrived in Colibri Town, but the other three had been adventuring here for a while. It seemed they were uneasy about not noticing the change. 

“Now that you mention it, yesterday we fought a Forest Wolf. But we didn’t encounter a single Goblin.”

Bales also acted as a scout and seemed particularly sensitive to detecting monsters. With the knife strapped to her waist, she was probably the type to strike from the shadows. 

“Alright, let’s confirm our plan. Bales, focus on finding Goblins. The rest of us will stay on guard. Fel, that sounds good to you?” 

“I’ll use Analyze to search for Goblins while keeping an eye on our surroundings.” 

“Analyze? What’s that?” 

Luciana tilted her head. 

Huh? She doesn’t know? With that long staff, robe, and pointed hat, I assumed she was a mage… 

“Analyze is a spell that provides information about the surroundings. You’ve never heard of it?” 

“Nope.” 

I turned to Lilia. But she was also tilting her head in confusion. 

Now that I think about it, Lilia mentioned she had been sealed in a book for a long time. Maybe the common knowledge of this world had changed in the meantime. 

“Well, it’s a magic spell that exists. I’ll use it to check around.” 

“Not sure I get it. But I’ll leave it to you, Fel. Let us know if anything happens.” 

“Got it.” 

After finishing our dried meat, we stepped into the forest. Though the sun had risen, it was still dim beneath the thick foliage. 

Near the entrance, the only presences I sensed were small animals targeting Lilia. When I mentioned it to Liner, Lilia kneed me in the stomach. It was just a joke! 

With that settled, we decided to push deeper until we found traces of monsters. The forest grew denser, the light dimmer. Looking closely, vines coiled around trees like curtains. They were gradually blocking our path forward.

“The only reactions so far are from Forest Wolves.”

It seemed one of them was approaching us. Just as I was about to inform Liner— 

“One’s heading this way. Should I take it down?” 

Bales spoke up. Her detection skills were better than I expected. Perhaps the reason Liner’s group could hunt safely was thanks to her. 

“Let’s take it down. Magic stones are worth money.” 

With that, Liner and Luciana swiftly eliminated the Forest Wolf that had leaped out. Looked like there was no need for me to step in. Lilia was probably getting bored. 

“There it is.” 

“Lilia, you found a Goblin?” 

“Yeah, over there.” 

She pointed in a direction. It seemed she had already scanned a wide area. As expected of Lilia—truly reliable. …Sorry for assuming you were just bored. 

“Alright, let’s head that way. Stay alert, everyone.” 

Following Liner’s lead, we carefully advanced through the forest. We were making as little noise as possible. 

My Analyze spell picked up a reaction as well. And I quickly realized something. 

“Liner, the Goblins have stopped moving.” 

“That’s odd. Why did they stop?” 

“Maybe they’re on watch duty?” 

We exchanged glances. If the Goblins were forming a settlement, did that mean they had designated roles? Proceeding even more cautiously, we soon detected multiple Goblins. 

“There’s probably a Goblin settlement ahead. I’m picking up a lot of Goblin signals.” 

“Looks like the Adventurers’ Guild was right to be concerned. Can you estimate their numbers?” 

“Hmm……… about fifty. And among them, there’s one higher-ranked Goblin. Probably a Goblin General.” 

Lilia answered on my behalf. When it came to magic, she was far more skilled than me. I still couldn’t sense things to that level. 

“Alright, let’s head back and report. We promised Carrot-san.” 

“Wait, Liner. There’s another party nearby.” 

Bales had detected another group of people. I was so focused on the Goblins that I hadn’t noticed. I’d have to go over this later with Lilia and reflect on our mistakes. There was indeed a human presence some distance away. 

“A three-person team. What are they planning? Could they have taken the same quest as us?” 

“No idea. We should’ve asked Carrot-san if there were other parties involved.” 

Liner’s voice grew tense. Perhaps he was unsettled by the unexpected development. The three-person party was heading straight for the Goblin settlement without any caution. 

“Hey… isn’t this bad?” 

Luciana’s voice tightened with worry. I felt the same. Probably everyone here did. Could we catch up to them in time? Either way, we had to try. 

“Check your gear—now! We’re going after them!” 

Liner’s urgent command rang out. I immediately checked my equipment—making sure my belongings were secure, my belt was fastened, and my shoelaces were tied. Since I didn’t carry any weapons, there wasn’t much else for me to check. 

Right in front of me, Lilia adjusted the fabric covering her backside. It had ridden up again. It would probably happen again soon… Maybe she should switch from her traditional Fairy outfit to a more practical bottom type. I’d bring it up with her later.