The Crown Prince Who Raises a Side Character-Chapter 6: New Adventurer Bern (4). Goblins

The news that Bern had ultimately chosen Blanca as his party member spread, and the adventurers each let out sighs of disappointment or clicked their tongues.

“Another promising talent wasted.”

“Come on, is it really that bad? She’s still a mage, after all.”

“Shut up. A mage is only as good as their skills. And from what I’ve heard, she’s nothing without her staff.”

“She seemed good at handling the receptionist job. If she had just stayed there, we could’ve avoided all this drama.”

“Don’t be so discouraged. There might be a chance to work together in the future.”

Not just the adventurers, but even the guild itself seemed unsettled by the situation.

Especially the office manager, who had initially brought Blanca in as a receptionist, openly voiced his dissatisfaction.

“Did it really have to be this way? I don’t think I treated you poorly.”

“You didn’t. I just had something else I needed to do.”

“Tch, you’re going to face a lot of judgment for a while. That’s how rumors work. If they spread in a good way, even trivial things become great achievements. But if they spread the wrong way, even things you never did will suddenly become the truth.”

“I knew what I was getting into. I had to do this, no matter what.”

“...Hah, I get that he’s promising, but are you really that certain?”

The office manager was one of the few people who had witnessed Blanca’s peak during her prime.

After her staff had been destroyed in an accident during a quest, her magic output had plummeted. People mocked her, calling her dependent on her equipment. But in reality, there were plenty of adventurers who couldn’t even make proper use of high-grade gear.

What was the point of powerful magic if you couldn’t use it at the right moment? It was like hanging pearls around a pig’s neck.

Blanca didn’t bother answering.

To be honest, even she wasn’t entirely sure—choosing Bern had been more instinct than logic.

Seeing her silence, the office manager simply shrugged before pulling out a request form.

Blanca glanced through the details and frowned.

- Title: Goblin Den Extermination.

- Client: Baron Atra’s Territory.

- Frequent sightings of goblins have been reported in the forest within the baron’s domain. It is suspected that a goblin den exists somewhere in the area, and swift extermination is requested.

- Any byproducts obtained during the extermination process may be kept.

“Annoying work, lousy pay—no wonder nobody wants to take it. I suggested they raise the reward, but they wouldn’t even listen. Yet they keep rushing us, whining about why it hasn’t been solved yet. Damn bastards.”

“I don’t want to do it either.”

“You invited that newbie into your party while on duty. If you had time for that, you should take responsibility.”

“That’s a separate matter. Just dock my receptionist salary instead.”

“Hah, you don’t let anything slide, huh? You really are a perfect fit for a receptionist.”

Letting out a puff of pipe smoke, the office manager smacked his lips as if lamenting the situation before changing his tone.

“Fine. You and your partner—I’ll give you bonus evaluation points toward your rank promotion.”

“That’s expected. Also, from now on, I want to be able to take Rank 3 requests on the same terms.”

“You know party requests always go by the lowest-ranked member’s level, right?”

“That rule exists to stop weaklings from leeching off high-ranking adventurers. As long as we have the skills, it shouldn’t matter.”

“Tsk. If you want that, then including this one, you’ll need to clear three difficult Rank 2 requests that nobody else wants. If you want special treatment, you need results.”

“If those requests all count for double the evaluation points, that’s not a bad deal. And don’t try messing with the evaluation criteria—I’ve already memorized all the calculation methods from my time as a receptionist.”

“...Damn, you’re a real pain. Just get to work already!”

The office manager waved her off in frustration, and Blanca gave a small bow before heading out.

“What a waste... such a waste....”

***

"Because of that, our first request ended up being a goblin extermination. I apologize for deciding on it without consulting you."

Blanca had finished her time as a receptionist and returned to adventuring.

At her apology, Bern shook his head.

"No, it’s fine. I planned on taking on a variety of requests anyway. And if it boosts our evaluation scores, I have no reason to refuse."

“...Well, if you think that way, then good.”

Blanca felt strangely conflicted.

It was good that he wasn’t being difficult, but at the same time, Bern’s attitude seemed a little too casual.

"How much do you know about goblins?"

"I’ve heard plenty about them. But if you’re asking whether I know the details, then no, not really."

"That’s expected. ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) Especially if you’re from the Empire."

"Does my origin have anything to do with it?"

Blanca shrugged.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"Goblins are monsters with rapid reproduction rates. If left alone for too long, their numbers multiply exponentially. That’s why the more powerful a nation is, the rarer goblins become. The moment even a single one is spotted, the local soldiers mobilize and wipe out their entire den."

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She continued, pointing out how the Birka Kingdom was the complete opposite.

"The royal family and nobles of this kingdom only care about the lands they personally rule. Even then, unless a problem causes immediate, large-scale damage, they prefer to cover it up and ignore it. That’s why monsters like goblins are everywhere."

Bern furrowed his brows.

"Wouldn’t a massive increase in goblins pose a direct threat to the commoners? That would, in turn, destabilize a noble’s territory. Even if we ignore morality, it seems like exterminating them regularly would be the more profitable option. If goblins reproduce that quickly, they could even be used as live combat training for soldiers."

Blanca blinked.

Bern tilted his head, confused.

Did he say something strange?

“...That was an incredibly aristocratic way of thinking. Calling the protection of the commoners a matter of ‘profit’ and suggesting goblins as training dummies—I’ve never heard anyone say that before."

Bern immediately realized his mistake and shut his mouth.

From the shadows, Lucidra burst into laughter.

[Of course! No matter how much you change your mannerisms and appearance, a pampered crown prince raised in a palace isn’t going to alter his entire worldview overnight!]

Bern groaned internally.

Even with his past-life memories, he wasn’t as sheltered as Lucidra implied. But having spent over twenty years in that life, it was only natural that certain habits had been ingrained.

There was a saying: A position shapes the person. When you spend nearly every waking moment being treated as the crown prince, that mindset was bound to stick.

[Just drop this ridiculous act and go around as the crown prince. That way, idiots like the ones from last time won’t even think about picking a fight with you!]

'The crown prince is Alondre. I am Bern, an adventurer.'

[Stubborn as ever.]

Bern steeled his resolve, committing himself to even stricter role-playing.

"I see. A lord collects taxes from the commoners, so if they become impoverished or die, the lord also suffers a loss. Naturally, a noble has a duty to protect their people—whether out of obligation or self-interest."

Blanca scoffed.

"I suppose there are just too many lords who can’t even think that far. The world is full of idiots. Holding a high position doesn’t necessarily mean someone is intelligent."

...I’m not the only one here who doesn’t sound like a commoner, am I?

Bern thought to himself but chose not to point it out.

"Anyway, let’s get going."

"Yes."

***

On the Road to Baron Atra’s Territory

As they traveled toward the hunting grounds, Bern and Blanca decided to take a short break and exchange information.

Both had done their own investigations into each other, but if they were going to fight together, it was best to hear directly from the other what they could and couldn’t do.

『Magic That Burns Wood』

Blanca extended her hand and focused. After about three seconds of preparation, a fireball roughly the size of a soccer ball ignited the pile of firewood they had gathered for the campfire.

It was strong enough to instantly incinerate a fully grown rabbit or a medium-sized dog, but it didn’t seem powerful enough to take down a creature as large and tough as a boar in a single strike.

“This is a basic fire spell. It’s enough to take down a single goblin.”

“How many times can you cast it? And can you use stronger spells?”

“If I’m at full strength, about twenty times. There’s also 『Magic That Burns Stone』—a mid-tier spell—but it takes about ten seconds to prepare, and I can only use it twice a day, assuming I don’t cast any other magic.”

“What about healing magic?”

“That depends on the severity of the wound, so I can’t give an exact number. I can usually heal minor cuts, but anything involving bones is beyond my ability. And if a body part is severed, I can’t do much at all.”

Bern found her abilities more useful than he had expected.

He had considered the possibility that, after losing her staff, Blanca’s magic would be practically useless. However, her combat viability was still intact.

Which made it all the more puzzling.

“I heard you didn’t get along well with other Rank 2 adventurers. Why is that?”

Getting kicked out of her Rank 3 party made sense.

Those must have been skilled individuals who could match Blanca in her prime. Once she weakened, it was only natural they wouldn’t want to keep her.

But Rank 2 adventurers? Bern had observed them. He had even beaten up a few—some of the idiots who had picked a fight with him before were Rank 2.

From what he had seen, Blanca’s abilities should have been highly desirable for them.

The ability to create fire without any tools was incredibly convenient for camping. And in places where even basic healing salves were hard to come by, having someone who could treat cuts was invaluable.

Blanca didn’t seem like the type to be overly proud and push away Rank 2 adventurers out of arrogance either—at least, not from what he had seen of her personality.

[That’s what you think. Do you really believe a woman acts the same way toward people she wants to impress and people she doesn’t care about?]

Hmm.

[What? Are you going to deny it again?]

No. For once, you’re actually making sense.

[...Somehow, that annoys me even more.]

“Hmm.”

At Bern’s question, Blanca hesitated.

“Do I really have to answer that?”

“If it’s a sensitive issue, I won’t force you.”

“Then let’s leave it at that.”

[See? I was right. I told you I was right.]

...Is this really a demon in my shadow, or just an annoying gossip?

Bern was musing over that thought with a faint smirk when—

—Rustle.

Sensing movement nearby, Bern’s gaze shifted toward the forest.

“Is that forest over there our destination?”

“No, we still have about a day’s walk left.”

“I see.”

Bern picked up four stones that had been placed around the campfire.

Blanca, worried that he might burn himself, flinched and tried to stop him. But Bern, unfazed, adjusted his grip on the stones before hurling them into the bushes in quick succession.

—Kieek!

—Guek!

A series of short, grotesque screams rang out.

As Bern and Blanca stepped into the underbrush, they found four creatures lying unconscious on the ground.

Green skin, long noses—goblins.

Blanca was taken aback. According to the information they had received from Baron Atra’s territory, goblins shouldn’t be in this area at all.

Meanwhile, Bern was focused on something else.

The crude garments the goblins wore, made from animal hides and woven plant fibers.

The rough yet functional weapons in their hands, primitive but still lethal.

And finally, the sacks slung over their shoulders, which looked like they had once been human clothing—likely repurposed to carry game or stolen fruit.

This situation might be bigger than they had anticipated.