第２７８堀：ファンタジー世界の変なゴブリン (Part1)
### Chapter 278: The Peculiar Goblin of the Fantasy World
**Side: Steve**
"Haaah..."
Another day spent in the library, just me and a musty man.
And we’re in the royal capital of the New Continent, Zilba.
Even if I wanted to find a romantic encounter, in this New Continent, a goblin’s status is lower than that of a slave. We’re nothing more than expendable goods.
Well, I suppose that’s the case everywhere except in Weed.
Back when I went to help out at Mino-chan’s place, I nearly got dissected by some mad, beautiful girl named Agil.
Why is it so hard to find a decent connection?
"Haaah..."
I sighed again.
Beside me, Zargis, who was looking through books for research just like me, reacted.
"...I’m the one who should be sighing. If you’re tired of reading, why don’t you go off and drill the troops?"
"No way. The King of Zilba keeps trying to recruit me to serve him every chance he gets. I turn him down every time, and the glares I get from the other bigwigs are painful, man, painful."
"Ah, that goes for me as well. Even though it was for the sake of magical research, I taught them too much too easily. I suppose common sense really does differ from region to region."
"That’s why I’m helping you with your research like this."
"No, I understand why you’re engaged in research, but that doesn’t explain the sighing, does it? The recruitment is a nuisance for me as well."
"Ah. Well, you know, it’s, uh..."
"It?"
Damn it, this is why research nerds are the worst.
He should be able to guess why I’m sighing!
"...I’m just wondering if there aren’t any good encounters out there."
And after a brief silence:
"Ah, that again. How trivial."
Zargis said that and immediately returned his gaze to his book.
I was so stunned by his heartless reaction that my eyes went wide and I was left speechless.
"That’s harsh!? Zargis, this is the part where you’re supposed to comfort me!!"
I managed to regain my sanity and raised my voice in protest.
Yes, this is goblin abuse.
Actually, I wonder if he’s even human at this point.
To treat a heartbroken goblin with this attitude—it’s not the behavior of a person!!
"Who would comfort you? By now, Steve’s heartbreak is a daily routine, isn't it?"
"You’re treating it like a daily routine!? I’m not that loose with my affections, you know!?"
What kind of perception is that!?
You’re a shut-in researcher, so why are you so well-versed in the social scene!?
No, I’m not saying I’m justifying my string of consecutive losses, but still!
"...Even a shut-in researcher walks around the city of Weed, you know."
"Wait!? Did you read my mind!?"
Damn it, he wasn't just a research nerd; he’s not a demon for nothing!
"...You seem to be thinking of something extremely unpleasant, but we are talking about Steve right now."
"Hm?"
"You have a face that says you don't understand. If I walk around Weed, I naturally gather information in the city. Yuki often says so. That inspiration can be found in familiar places or in areas you aren't interested in. Therefore, I listen to stories at my favorite bar. And there, I often hear from the master. That a certain goblin general has come to drink again after another failed romance."
"Wait a second!! That bar is..."
"It’s in the 4th block of the Weed Entertainment District, on the back street..."
"Gyaaa!! Why do you know about that hidden gem!? That’s a bar the Boss built secretly as a hobby!! A bar I asked Ratz-neesan, Eris-neesan, and Milly-neesan to help build!?"
That bar is nothing like a typical tavern.
Should I call it a high-class lounge for enjoying the atmosphere?
I heard that at first, Ratz-neesan and Eris-neesan were against the idea.
Ah, Milly-neesan was on board from the start, teaming up with Narjia-san.
In the end, the Boss begged Ratz-neesan and Eris-neesan, and literally paid with his body to get the shop built.
Of course, we had no know-how, so we just made cocktails using knowledge we looked up on the internet.
But because the gap in civilization is so large, it naturally became a high-class bar—a hidden gem known as "Snow Bar."
"Snow" is just the English reading of the Boss’s name, Yuki. Pretty simple, right?
So, how does this shut-in know about it!?
I glared at Zargis, the shut-in, to confirm the truth, but...
"No, Yuki told me about it because he wanted direct feedback."
"Damn it!!"
Of course he did!!
It’s not like I’m the only one, right!?
The sisters go there too, so there’s no reason for them to keep it a secret from Zargis!!
Then, it suddenly occurred to me.
Come to think of it, isn't this research nerd just like me?
We should be comrades in being unpopular.
"Can I ask you something?"
I should just be frank.
I’ve never heard any rumors about Zargis being a ladies' man.
In other words, this man is almost perfectly unpopular!!
"...What is it?"
His suspicious gaze pierced through me.
But if I think of that suspicion as the look of a man enduring his own solitude, I feel a strange sense of kinship.
"Zargis, you’re single, right?"
When I said that, Zargis looked like he was about to cry.
Ah, as I thought, we were comrades!
"...Yes, there is no mistake that I am single."
"Then!!"
I was about to say "My friend!!", but Zargis continued...
"I’m a 'batsu-2'."
"Huh?"
It went beyond my language comprehension.
Batsu-2?
...Ah, punishment two.
Second.
In other words, he’s been scolded twice.
Well, since he keeps failing as one of the Four Heavenly Kings (lol), it’s no wonder Demon Lord Liliana has handed down various severe punishments.
He destroyed the Fairy Village on his own, and ended up getting captured by us.
That must have been tough.
I get scolded by Seraria-neesan and Eris-neesan a lot, too.
Seraria-neesan tells me to get more serious during sword matches.
My battle style is "Gun & Sword."
In other words, it’s a stylish combat method, but since Seraria-neesan is a die-hard fan of classic fantasy, she demands sword-only matches.
Since Seraria-neesan has dedicated her life to the blade, her swordsmanship is arguably the best in Weed.
My sword skills are ultimately meant to be combined with guns, so I fall a bit short.
Because of that, a sword-only match isn't exactly fair, and since she knows my full specs, she gets angry when I lose, claiming I wasn't going all out.
Well, Seraria-neesan has recently started to understand the utility of firearms and has begun learning how to use them.
The reason, of course, is that the Boss taught her hand-over-hand, waist-over-waist.
Damn it!!
Next, Eris-neesan.
How does she scold me?
You won't see this in front of the inn or the public, but Eris-neesan in "work mode" is a different beast.
She is the demon of accounting.
The head of the department that controls the entire budget of Weed.
Also known as the "LAST BOSS" of Weed.
To put it simply, she’s the final boss.