Chương 23: Chapter 21

Rather than her usual dress, Sobelle threw on a pair of pants and a cotton shirt. These made her feel herself in ways that her normal clothes couldn't. She didn't hate dresses or anything, but the comforts she felt from a pants and shirt could not be understated; her range of movement weren't hindered with these and they were loose enough that she could actually move around when wearing them. She rolled her shoulders and groaned in pleasure from the ease of doing so.

The lack of a sleeve allowed men for a wider range of movement but this was not meant to be for women, as showing so much skin was taboo. But who cared about her showing skin? No man in the village wanted her to be wed anyway and it wasn't like they'd suddenly be attracted to her just because a part of her elbow showed itself. And even if they did, Sobelle wouldn't dare marry anyone in this village after everything they'd done to her.

'Not that I'm showing much skin anyway.' Her arms and legs were covered with bandages due to her cuts, so her wearing sleeveless shirts wasn't that bad in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention, her pants actually covered most of her legs, so it did the opposite of being bad. Sobelle walked out of her house feeling like she was a new person. Like this was always something she needed to be, and maybe it was?

The Gods hadn't prepared her for war to just sit around looking dainty, she had to wear the clothes of a man at some point. That was just how it went. She checked the bandages tied around her chest one last time before walking out. Her father's worried expression was the first thing she saw, followed by him telling her the warnings he's repeated several times already.

"You don't have to do this Sobelle, it doesn't have to be you to kill a bunch of goblins. I can do that! Someone else can do that! Thetras can do that! You don't have to do this." Saltor had once more tried to prevent his daughter from putting herself in danger so blatantly.

"The goblins are dangerous, you know what happens to the women they capture right?"

"I do." And she would be more than willing to kill them still. Her knowing that the greenskins were dangerous did not dissuade her from fighting them. She knew the moment she wanted to be a knight that there would be dangers to her life.

"I still want this, father." Saltor let out a deep exhale. He nodded.

"Very well." Sobelle caught the spear he threw at her and tested the weight. As expected, it felt right in her hands. And maybe it was? This thing was made just yesterday and finished its construction a few hours ago. Copper was not as good of a metal compared to bronze or even iron, and it certainly wouldn't have the special properties of silver, but the weapon in Sobelle's hand was perfect for her size and felt almost familiar to wield. And that, more than anything, was important.

"Thank you." Sobelle carried the weapon with joy as she walked to the chief's house. The man looked conflicted when he saw Sobelle but ultimately walked forward and gave her the buckler he ordered to be made alongside her spear.

"A shield? Why is it so small?"

"You tie it around your forearm using the leather strap." The chief guided her how to use and equip the circular shield.

"And its size is perfect for combat, you don't need to carry heavy iron shields, you are a woman after all. You need to be agile, not weighted down." Well, Sobelle killed those Goblins using her agility and her intellect so he was not wrong to say that. Still, she wanted to feel like a knight so she felt excited when he told her that he'd be making her a shield, but this thing is quite small and wasn't the same as the giant things that knights carried.

According to her father's stories, the shields knights carried were like doors. It made them immovable. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"Got it." Sobelle was about to tie it around her forearm when she was suddenly stopped by Chael.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Here, you should wear these. They aren't quite combat gauntlets, but wearing leather gloves will help prevent your hands from growing blisters." The merchant's daughter expectedly waited for Sobelle to say something and was disappointed when she only took them.

"Do they fit you nicely?"

"Yes." Sobelle moved her fingers around, she had thought that these would make it harder for her to move her hand but she was wrong.

"This is some fine craftsmanship, I can barely see the stitch lines."

"That's because they're hidden within the design! See these lines that go from the tips of your fingers and down to the laces on the wrists? Those are the stitch lines." Chale's explanation cleared things up and now that Sobelle knew they were there, it was hard to unseen it.

"Yeah, I can see them." Sobelle tightened the gloves until they no longer held the risk of falling during combat.

"They fit well."

"They do, don't they?" The chief chuckled as he handed Sobelle an axe.

"As you requested, freshly sharpened. Here's a dagger as well, in case you lose your two other weapons." Sobelle took the sheathed weapon in awe. It is said that knives are so much worse than daggers when applied in combat because they were not made for stabbing, daggers on the other hand had thick spines and a rigid body. Perfect for plunging into the flesh of monsters.

"Thank you." Unsheathing the weapon for a moment revealed that it was bronze.

"It's perfect."

"Well don't lose it, that thing belongs to my late wife."

"Your wife had a dagger?" Now that was news to Sobelle. A woman carried with her a weapon made to kill? Was that not a bad thing in the eyes of everyone? Or maybe she had it for a different reason?

"This was an heirloom then?"

"Gods no." The chief laughed.

"She was a mercenary, a victim of goblins who had to live in a church for several years during her childhood. She vowed to kill as many of them as she could once she was out and healthy."

"So... She fought people? All the time?" Everything Sobelle believed to be wrong had broken down at this very instant.

"Can I be a mercenary?"

"That's one way to put it!" Laughed the chief. Then he smiled, his voice going soft.

"And yes, you can. Mercenaries are not bound by any rules, the only thing that matters is that we complete bounties and requests. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You can join the lawless when you're older Sobelle." Saltor took this moment to come in and hand her chainmail.

"This used to belong to me, I want you to wear this under your leather armor, never ever forget that this is going to protect you. Understood?"

"Yes father." Wait, when was it said that she will get leather armor? She turned to Chael, who bent down and picked something off the ground. She gave it to Sobelle.

"Oh, I thought I'd just..."

"You cannot go in there without protection." Saltor cut her off. And he repeated this several times in the course of a few seconds.

"This is important. Never fight without protection. Never do that."

"Okay, do not fight without protection. I understand."

"Remember this well. It will save your life one day."

"Well since everyone is giving Sobelle something to make it easier for her to fight the greenskins, I will do that too!" Chael cut in and handed Sobelle a pair of boots.

"Here you go, to keep your feet safe while trudging through the forest."

"Thank you." Sobelle did not know what to say, a merchant was giving her free stuff? What? Will the sky fall next? How interesting.

"You are welcome! And this is nothing compared to what would happen should you fail at your task." Chael had a way of talking that sometimes made Sobelle confused. The way she says things is lighter compared to everyone else, and her tone is just that. She isn't acting to look smart or anything.

"Well, you better pray to the Gods that I succeed then." Sobelle threw on everything she was given, let her dad tie her chainmail tight, and then lifted her spear.

"I don't think I can kill Goblins with ambushes but with this, I think I'll do well even when I fight them head on!"

"I hope you do." Chael's movements had some doubts, but she was mostly supportive.

"There is no other option besides this."

"Mhmm." Sobelle headed for the gates. Her heart started pounding around her fifth step as doubt crept up her spine and nestled within her mind. Now that she was about to do this, she did not feel confident at succeeding at all. [Kill All Goblins! - You're about to embark on something that will determine the fate of your village, for the next week, you will be killing Goblins constantly. How many you kill per day will determine your reward.] Reward? That's all the Gods had to say.

Sobelle huffed and casually strolled out. If the Gods gave her a quest, didn't that mean they were confident she'd win? So she will.