Crash—!
Waves slammed against the reef.
A white-haired beauty sat on a seaside rock with her legs crossed, gazing into the distance.
The thoughts running through Kiana and the others' minds, the suffering endured by the medieval civilization being enclosed and observed by the Empire in the Imperial Ministry of War's Trial World No. 5 (Goblin Slayer), their bitterness and sweetness, their separations and reunions—the Imperial government did not feel these things all that deeply.
After all, those sufferings were not brought about by the Empire. They were the amusements decreed by that world and its "gods."
According to the current strategy formulated by Imperial administrators and Inquisitors, the Empire would not interfere with the independent operation of the medieval fantasy civilization that had arisen naturally in that world. It would merely conduct periodic observation and compilation, select promising talents, and send elites in for trials.
No matter how one looked at it, this blame could not be pinned on the Imperial government.
If someone insisted on nitpicking and searching for fault, at most they could say the Empire was too merciful—failing to dispatch troops to directly conquer that world.
As for the spiritual shock Kiana and the others had experienced because of the goblin race, Selene was currently unaware of it. This was her vacation time. Unless it was something urgent, she had unilaterally cut off her observation of Kiana and the others. Any monitored intelligence would be delayed outside Selene's information reception hub.
"Oh—oh—"
Across the horizon, flocks of black, white, and gray seagulls circled in the sky. From time to time, they folded their wings and plunged headfirst into the sea. When they burst back out, their sharp beaks often clutched a small fish struggling desperately.
Under the brilliant sunlight, the distant sea shimmered like countless fish scales spread across the surface. All one could see was a vast expanse of white. Sea and sky blended together, indistinguishable from one another.
Mm. A very ordinary scene. The ocean—once you've seen enough of it, it's just that. Yet at this moment, it gave Selene a forbidden thrill, like skipping school.
The feeling of ditching her "homework" and slipping away was... slightly stimulating.
"Sebas, sorry about this. I'm playing hooky. Someone has to take my place for the time being."
Dressed in a white fur outfit tailored from premium pelts, Selene rose to her feet and lifted her gaze toward the boundless sky, as though she could see Sebas at that very moment, toiling late into the night in the Imperial Capital's Schönbrunn Palace, buried in paperwork.
The damp sea breeze, tinged faintly with brine and carrying a hint of fishiness, felt slightly chilly to ordinary people. It brushed against Selene's hair, her cheeks, every inch of her body.
Gurgle gurgle—sizzle.
In this incomparably tranquil environment, she bit down on her straw and noticed her milk tea was nearly finished. Very "uncivilized," she casually tossed the cup aside.
Such behavior was indeed uncivil and lacking in manners. Children, don't imitate—ah, well. She used her power to annihilate it down to the molecular level. In that case, no problem.
Just then—
"Queen! Come try this! Arisa specially grilled this Sea King steak—!"
The little girl's voice was so loud that it even carried traces of Honkai energy from sheer excitement, making it practically indistinguishable from thunder. Selene involuntarily flinched.
A large flock of seabirds resting on the reefs scattered instantly. Some seagulls, startled so violently that their hearts gave out, dropped straight into the sea with a dull plop.
Following the sound, one could see a hidden retreat nestled within the sea cliffs, built along the mountain. Stone steps rose upward, flanked on both sides by exquisite halls, temples, and statues constructed entirely from white marble.
Looking at Arisa's small head poking out as she waved excitedly, Selene narrowed her eyes.
"You little brat. Didn't I say no using Honkai energy while sightseeing in this world?"
Activating her authority, Selene tore open the space beside her. Reaching through the dark rift, she grabbed Arisa by the cheek.
Stepping across the reef and through the rift, Selene arrived in a single stride at the seaside cliff resort.
"But Queen, didn't you use it earlier? And your space authority just now too—ow!" Arisa protested tearfully while flipping meat with tongs in both hands.
"Hmph!" Selene flicked the girl on the forehead. "Are you the same as me?"
In the wrong—yet still completely confident.
Arisa puffed her cheeks in grievance and muttered, "Oh...," but as the charcoal crackled, she quickly cast aside her gloom. She sliced off a large piece of the perfectly grilled Sea King steak and presented it proudly.
"Queen, hurry and taste it. That chef named Nakamura taught me this grilling technique... Using rib meat from the midsection of a kilometer-class Danger Beast's spine, grilled over peachwood charcoal to enhance the flavor..."
On the pure white porcelain plate, rich fat slowly pooled in the shallow center. The golden rib meat released an enticing aroma that whetted the appetite.
"You made this?" Selene asked, slightly incredulous. With a beckon, she summoned knife and fork from a dining table several meters away, cut off a small piece, and placed it into her mouth to chew.
Under Arisa's expectant gaze, Selene's brows lifted faintly. She looked up in surprise.
"It's actually quite good. Rich in flavor, pleasantly chewy, yet it melts upon swallowing."
"Yay!" Arisa jumped three feet into the air.
"Is it because the Sea King's inherently excellent meat quality covered up your technical shortcomings during grilling?" Selene added calmly.
Arisa's face immediately fell.
"Huh?!"
"Queen, you're bullying me!"
"Then let's have a competition." Tucking her slightly disheveled, snow-bright silver hair behind her ear, Selene personally took up a knife. From the ingredients the hotel manager had delivered, she selected an entire leg and sliced off a large cut of lamb.
"No high-end ingredients. That's too easy. Let's keep it simple—grilled lamb." With a thud, she slapped the lamb leg onto the cutting board.
"Although I've never cooked before and have never even touched a kitchen knife, no matter how I think about it, I should still make something tastier than you, little Arisa." Selene employed a rather shallow provocation.
However, she was telling the truth. She truly had no cooking skills whatsoever. Boiling rice, cooking noodles, scrambled eggs with tomatoes—knowing the theoretical steps counted, right?
Since childhood, she had hardly ever even stepped into a kitchen, let alone handled a chef's knife. Killing? She excelled at that. But deliberately using a blade to dissect and process livestock? That was entirely new.
"Waaah—! Arisa is unhappy." Bullseye. She took the bait.
"Fine! Then I'll grill lamb too."
Breaking off the other lamb leg, Arisa sneakily glanced at Selene's actions. She grinned.
"Hehe, Queen, you don't even know how to remove the mutton smell, do you?"
The peachwood charcoal burned quietly, heating the grill pan. Once it was sufficiently hot, Selene calmly brushed olive oil across the iron surface.
"How could that be? You little brat—just watch carefully."
But in secret, Selene had already begun invoking the authority of the Herrscher of Reason, remotely infiltrating the planetary intranet of this sightseeing world and frantically searching for recipes and cooking methods for grilled lamb.
A last-minute cram session.
Ideal grilling times for lamb, the top ten dipping sauces for barbecue, quick methods for removing the mutton smell... In short, Selene downloaded everything wholesale into her mind.
"Hehe, Queen, should we invite judges?"
"I don't mind. If you want to, then invite them. Someone—bring the Planetary Governor, the High Inquisitor of the planetary Inquisition, and the commanders of the Imperial garrison over."
She had already won. It was time to teach Arisa what the harshness of society meant. There was no need to compete at all. Selene believed that even without hints, they would know what choice to make.
And besides, while she might not know how to cook, after this emergency 'lesson,' she could at least count as a beginner. It wasn't as though she was serving poison.
Those who casually produce dark cuisine that grants people poison resistance, who cook lethal dishes and blow up kitchens—how could they possibly compare to her?
"Oh, right. How many times have I said it? Don't call me Queen. We're traveling incognito. You can call me Big Sis if you want."
"Oh..."
"And don't cause trouble with tomorrow's Moon Feast invitation. I'm planning to eat for three straight days."
"Oh..."
"And one more thing—"
...
Human joys and sorrows are not shared; I merely find them noisy.
Just as Selene was enjoying her vacation, on a kind of 'honeymoon' with Arisa.
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Ministry of War's Trial World No. 5, within the human kingdom's western frontier, at a ranch serving as a temporary camp, a gloomy pall hung over everyone.
Indeed, defeating the Goblin Lord's goblin "army" without casualties was something worth celebrating. But after seeing these rescued women—still hollow-eyed and numb—who could possibly feel happy?
Not long ago, one of the survivors who had stomped and torn at the Goblin Lord's skull after its defeat committed suicide. No one knew where she found the strength. Weak as she was, she had managed to crush part of the Goblin Lord's cranium beneath her foot.
Then, laughing wildly, she collapsed stiffly to the ground.
As she fell, her tear-dried eyes stared unblinkingly at the two moons hanging in the sky.
A smile lingered at the corner of her lips—vengeful satisfaction, relief, fulfillment, perhaps even happiness. Greater sorrow lies in a heart that has died. Standing before her, Durandal heard it clearly. The woman thanked her softly, then slowly closed her eyes.
"No! You finally survived... you were finally rescued..." The Priestess crouched beside the woman, biting her lip.
"Merciful Earth Mother, please use Your sacred hand to soothe this person's pain..."
She drew her tin staff back to her chest, pressing one hand against the survivor's chest as she chanted, pleading for divine intervention.
"Minor Heal!"
If sorcerers tamper with the laws of the world—gifts born from its principles—then "Minor Heal" was undoubtedly a miracle derived from the power of the gods.
Though the thrones of the gods in this world currently stood vacant, the deities themselves having become nourishment for someone else, the faith and power fixed within this world had not changed.
The Priestess' palm received the soul-wearing prayer—she could use this miracle three to four times a day. The light of the miracle transferred onto the woman's body, glowing faintly.
As the light faded like bursting bubbles, torn flesh slowly began to mend.
But the woman's condition did not improve. Blood froth mixed with fragments of organs continued to spill from the corner of her mouth.
"Minor Heal can only treat external wounds. Her heart has already been destroyed. She can't be saved," Goblin Slayer said flatly as he stepped forward.
"I'm sorry."
Durandal spoke with regret. "If I still had Abyss Flower in hand, or if an Imperial field medic, alchemist, or medical officer were present, she wouldn't have died... We departed in haste and didn't bring standard military medical kits."
"Again..."
At that moment, the woman's body stopped convulsing and fell completely still.
The Priestess knelt beside the limp corpse, her face pale as she lowered her head.
"In this field, find a place and bury her." Closing the woman's eyes, Goblin Slayer turned and began clearing larger pieces of broken wood from the ground.
As for why she would be buried here, everyone understood. As spoils captured by the Goblin Lord, her parents, husband, family, and village had likely already been destroyed.
"The smell of blood... Did something happen?" Walking out from the storehouse, Kiana froze when she saw the female corpse before the Priestess—until Rita shook her head regretfully.
"I see..."
However, Kiana did not linger. She walked over to the Priestess.
"Miss Priestess, may we talk?"
Her voice was slightly hoarse, yet steady.
"Oh... yes."
"Sir, you too." Kiana turned her head.
"Very well." Goblin Slayer nodded calmly. Beside him, the High Elf Archer's ears perked up immediately. "May I come as well?"
"You may."
Inside the storehouse, they sat around a crude wooden table.
The shy Priestess sat beside Goblin Slayer, her face flushed. Their thin bodies brushed lightly. She placed her tin staff across her knees, clasping it with both hands and curling inward. She seemed very nervous.
Retracting her gaze, Kiana looked at the man whom Li Sushang and Senti had both called a good man.
"What do you plan to do with those survivors afterward?"
"Send them to the temple."
After a brief pause, Goblin Slayer spoke in his characteristically blunt manner.
"Neither towns nor the Adventurers' Guild will support so many idle people who cannot work, who may suffer from sensory impairment."
"Sensory impairment?"
"Yes. After being in goblin hands for too long, their sight and smell can be damaged," Goblin Slayer explained. "Especially their sense of smell."
"Given how filthy and dark goblin nests are, human olfaction usually stops functioning after only a few days of captivity."
Hearing this, and recalling the stench inside the goblin nest—rotting corpses mixed with the foul reek of excrement—Kiana understood. For a normal human, that environment would indeed be profound torment to the senses.
"That's not all. Even if they overcome their fear and return to human society, their experiences... Even if no one says anything openly, there will always be long tongues whispering behind their backs."
"Yes." Not only because their spirits were shattered, but because their survival would indirectly give rise to further tragedies...
"A vicious cycle..."
Nodding and taking a deep breath, Kiana then turned her gaze to the delicate blonde girl.
"You're a Priestess, right?"
"Could you explain in detail the god you worship, the temple, and the situation there?"