Goblin Slayer

“I can’t change my helmet,” came the immediate answer when Cow Girl asked. “But I would be open to your suggestions about how to look more impressive.” Then he added, “At least, when I’m not hunting goblins.” That only added to her amusement, and Cow Girl started laughing.

They may have had an early start today, but there was still plenty of work to be done. Her uncle was probably planning on setting up shop at today’s event. Selling milk from their camel, perhaps. It was impossible to say whether it would go well, but the only way to find out was to try. That was something she’d learned in the years since she’d been reunited with
him
—a lesson she’d been schooled in more thoroughly than she’d ever expected.

“Do you think goblins…?” he began suddenly.

“Hmm?” she asked, wrapping herself around him.

“Do you think goblins will show up?”

His voice sounded strange. Tired, but also like a child inquiring of an adult. Whatever she said, she could tell it would become the truth for him.

All right, then; there was only one thing she could say to this old friend of hers.

“I sure hope not.” Then she patted his head gently, his helmet having regained some of its luster.

He was silent for a moment, but finally he whispered: “…I hope not, too.”

§

It was Guild Girl’s belief that a little primping could help invigorate a person for the day. She’d gotten to bed a little bit early the night before (resisting the urge to stay up into the wee hours, checking and rechecking that everything was in order), and now she was waking up early, too.

She climbed out of bed, shivering with the frigid air that sneaked past the stones of the building. She slid her bare feet into a pair of slippers, then tugged back the curtain at the window just a little. The sky was still a predawn blue-black, and she realized that she finally understood what color ultramarine was supposed to be.

She hadn’t heard the temple bells ring yet, but the color of the sky told her she’d woken up right when she’d meant to; she clenched her fist in triumph.

Her to-do list: eat, make herself up, dress, and get out of here. Oh, and make sure she had all the stuff she would need. Five things to do.

I sure wouldn’t be finding anywhere to eat at this hour
, she thought, feeling a touch of justifiable pride at having been foresighted enough to have bought some food for breakfast the night before. It was important, she felt, to compliment oneself, even on seemingly minor things. Otherwise, how would one build self-confidence?

Getting dressed before she ate risked getting her outfit messy, so Guild Girl set out her food at the table still in her nightclothes.

“Let’s see, here. Honey-filled bread, a boiled egg, and a baked treat… Then we add just a sip of grape wine.” She put the baked item on its own plate, then sat down, brought her hands together, and closed her eyes. “Thank you, O players who are seated around the great table of the stars…”

She thanked the Supreme God, the Trade God, the Earth Mother, and the God of Knowledge, all the many deities, and above all, the Valkyrie. All of them had made it possible for her to have this food before her and for her to greet the coming day, for which she was grateful. Then she added:

Please let today’s event go well…

Guild Girl was something of an unbeliever—she was usually too busy to pray—but at home, she minded the manners she’d been raised with. Sadly, she’d never been graced with a miracle, but she at least understood how to pray.

She didn’t believe it was pointless to pray to Fate or Chance. No life was free from their influence, an influence that could cause entirely unexpected things to happen.

The gods deserved respect; that was why she prayed, and it was why she and the others were Pray-er Characters.

“Okay! Let’s dig in…!”

I know it’s not very ladylike to act all gluttonous first thing in the morning, but still…

Just because one had time on one’s hands was no excuse to loll around. Guild Girl tried to eat as quickly but also as properly as she could, knowing that even if no one was around to see her, she was always before the gods.

The ritual of prayer was over. Now she had to hurry—but not so much that it was unseemly. She pulled off her nightclothes and tossed them aside, including rolling her underwear down, over the gentle curve of her behind and past her shapely legs. She caught it on her toes and kicked it into the basket, then filled a glass washbowl from a carafe.

She started to shiver the moment she stuck her hand in the water—it was so cold—but she kept telling herself to bear it as she washed her face. She dipped a cloth in the water for good measure and started wiping herself down, removing any trace of sweat from the night before.

“And now…” She draped the cloth carelessly from a hanger, reaching next for a bottle of perfume sitting on her vanity. “Hee-hee… It smells lovely.” She picked her favorite from among the several lined up in front of her, undid the stopper, and savored the aroma. That alone was enough to boost her mood. She could see herself in the full-length mirror, an expensive thing her parents had sent once in celebration. She saw herself drip some of the thick perfume oil onto her palm.

“Hrn…!” she gasped as the cool liquid touched her skin. She forced herself to keep going, covering her arms and legs as well. Her skin was so pale she didn’t need any bloodletting, and her body was slim and svelte—but neither of these things was an accident. They took real work.

She was proud of her body; she exercised fastidiously every day to maintain it. And she enjoyed looking after herself.

“Hrm…”

I wonder if I should use the ribbon and the belladonna eye drops today.
The medicine caused her eyes to open wider, which made them quite lovely, but she couldn’t stand how it made them water. A lot of men seemed to like a woman with perpetually brimming eyes, but it was hard to work that way, and she hated that. But the state of her eyes would determine which of her favorite ribbons she would want to wear…