Reborn as the 2nd Princess

Chapter 8: Goblin Slayers

—STATUS—
Name: Touya Pendragon Kazuya
Age: 2½
Race: Human, [Non-identified]
Magic: [Non-attributed Magic]
Class: [Non-identifed]
Skill(s): Mana Creation(Tier 1), Mana Swords(Tier 1)
Unique Skill(s): Fall Sword
Titles: Child Prodigy, Novice swordsman, Princess charming
—STATUS—

Touya's POV
We stood outside of the mostly destroyed caravan, corpses of merchants littered around the area.

"He really wasn't kidding." Grandmother says. "They really did kill all the men and took whatever unfortunate women that were here."

"Can goblins really do something like this? I mean, they're supposed to be unintelligent right?" I said.

"Yes but, this looks pretty well organized. They must of had a [Goblin General] leading them. Come on, I found where trail leads too." Wheel marks and footprints lead towards the nearby forest.

"Why would they have a settlement so close to the Kingdom Capital? Master Lisa says they usually camp more far out."

"Not sure, but then again this isn't too out of the ordinary. Let's go, I'll carry you."

"Are you sure I won't slow you down?" I asked. Grandmother then laughed.

"Of course not! Now come on, let's get this done quickly!" She says, I nod and quickly climbed on her back holding on tight.

"3...2....1! Lift off!" My eyes widened as we suddenly took off into the sky.

I suddenly felt sick from how fast we were flying through the air.

We soared through the sky, the ground rapidly shrinking beneath us. The wind roared past my ears, making it difficult to hear anything but the rush of air. Despite the dizziness, I couldn’t help but be amazed at the sight. The Kingdom Capital looked so small from up here, and the vast expanse of the forest spread out like a sea of green below us.

Grandmother's grip was firm and steady as she flew, her powerful magic effortlessly propelling us forward. I tightened my hold, trying to focus on the mission rather than the vertigo.

"Can you see anything, Touya?" Grandmother's voice broke through the wind’s howl.

I squinted, scanning the forest below. "Not yet, but there’s a clearing up ahead. It might be a good place to start."

"Good eye. We'll land there."

As we descended, the details of the forest became clearer. The clearing I had spotted was surrounded by dense trees, and the tracks we followed led straight into it. Grandmother landed gracefully, setting me down gently on the forest floor.

"Stay close," she said, drawing her sword. I nodded, summoning my mana to create a small, glowing sword in my hand. It felt reassuring to hold it, even if it was just Tier 1.

We moved cautiously through the trees, following the trail of broken branches and disturbed undergrowth. The forest was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of wildlife absent. It wasn’t long before we heard voices up ahead—gruff, guttural voices speaking in a language I didn’t understand.

"That's them," Grandmother whispered. "Remember, stay behind me and be ready."

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. This was my first real mission, and I didn’t want to let her down. As we crept closer, the source of the voices came into view. A group of goblins were gathered around a makeshift camp, their crude weapons and armor glinting in the dappled sunlight. Among them, a larger goblin, undoubtedly the [Goblin General], barked orders, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

Grandmother stepped forward, her presence immediately drawing the goblins' attention. "Leave now, and you might live," she declared, her voice cold and commanding.

The goblins snarled and laughed, their leader stepping forward with a sneer. "Kill them!" he shouted, and the goblins charged.

"Stay back!" Grandmother ordered as she sprang into action, her sword flashing in the sunlight. I took a deep breath, focusing on my own mana. This was it. Time to prove myself.

I channeled my energy, summoning multiple mana swords around me. With a flick of my wrist, they shot forward, striking down several goblins. The rest hesitated, giving Grandmother the opening she needed. She moved like a whirlwind, her blade cutting through the goblins with ease.

The [Goblin General] roared in anger, charging at Grandmother. I saw my chance. "Fall Sword!" I shouted, my unique skill activating. A massive sword of pure mana materialized above the goblin leader, crashing down with incredible force.

The [Goblin General] barely had time to react before he was crushed under the weight of my attack. The remaining goblins, seeing their leader defeated, fled into the forest, their morale shattered.

Breathing heavily, I lowered my hand, dispelling the remaining mana swords. Grandmother turned to me, a proud smile on her face. "Well done, Touya. You handled yourself like a true swordsman."

I grinned, the exhaustion forgotten in the thrill of victory. "Thanks, Grandmother. Let’s find those captives and get them back to safety."

Together, we made our way into the goblin camp, ready to rescue the unfortunate souls and bring them home.