214 Recruiting the fourth retainer

Vincent opened his eyes and saw a very familiar sight. The gray goblin was sitting in a fetal position, almost identical to how Ester was during the suffering from the slave curse.

Vincent could hear her snuffle, but her face was hidden behind her knees. The gray goblin was most likely crying or about to cry at any moment.

Vincent approached the gray goblin and gently nudged her shoulder to make her aware of him. It took a few nudges until the gray goblin became bothered and lifted her head.

“G-grim reaper! You finally came for me! Please take me with you!” The gray goblin suddenly became lively after mixing Vincent with a grim reaper. As if she was desperately awaiting death.

“I’m not the grim reaper. My name is Vincent, and this cute green soul beside me is Kazumi. I want to offer you a deal. Do you want to live a new life? I can make you that offer if you agree to follow the rules.” Vincent said.

The gray goblin quickly turned and knelt in front of Vincent. “No! Grim reaper Vincent, grim reaper Kazumi, please take me with you. ” She begged.

“Ohh? Really? She wants to come with us, but she wants to die. But we want her to live. This is perplexing. What do you think, Kazumi? Any thoughts?” Vincent asked. The gray goblin’s words implying the waiting and the wish of death started to bother him.

Kazumi floated in front of the tearing gray goblin and shone brightly, catching her attention. Kazumi winked and said.

[Little gray. You are not dead for now. It means we can provide you a rebirth for a price. Dying is bad, you know. What about your father? He wants you to live.]

.....

“No! I want death! Green grim reaper, please, I beg.” The gray goblin insisted promptly after hearing about her father.

Vincent scratched his head out of sheer confusion. It was his first time meeting someone wishing death even after hearing the possibility of life. The matter appeared to be much more complicated than he thought.

Vincent sat in front of the gray goblin and decided to ask from a different perspective. “I could give you death, but I could also give you life. Please tell me, why should I give you death?” He asked with the hope of understanding the complex gray goblin better.

The gray goblin lowered her gaze and started listing things she believes should make Vincent and Kazumi understand the reasoning behind her wish.

“Humans never stop hunting our tribe after they see me. I learned about this fifteen years ago.” The gray goblin said.

‘Fifteen years ago? Ahh, she is talking about goblin years. Then she should be been around one year and one month old in human years. It must have been a traumatizing experience, poor girl.’ Vincent thought.

“You are a rare goblin. Greedy people who steal goblins for money will greatly take an interest in you. Tell me, did you ever see a gray goblin other than yourself?” Vincent asked.

The gray goblin shook her head, and her tears slid from her eyes. She appeared to be more depressed than she previously was now.

Vincent reached his hand and gently wiped her tears with his index finger. “I can listen to your troubles, so don’t be sad and let your feeling be heard.” He said with a gentle voice.

The gray goblin hardheadedly shook her head and refused to share her past.

“Hahaha.” Vincent started laughing, surprising Kazumi and the gray goblin.

[Why are you laughing? This is so unlike you.]

“Ahh. It’s because I can see my past self in her. I was hardheaded and never let anyone know about my troubles. ” Vincent gently tussled the gray goblins hair with a beaming smile and continued, “But I was saved from my negative self. So I will return what was given.”

Vincent kept his smile with the hope of melting the wall surrounding her heart and warmly said, “Let me save you. Don’t choose death if you can live. Can you tell me why you are suffering like this?”

“It... it started when I was five. I secretly left home and looked for flowers to surprise my mother... but I met with a human instead. I ran away, but the human must have followed me... Many humans came after our tribe the next day, and they were looking for me. All the goblin heard them say, “catch the gray one.”

The gray goblin stopped and covered her face with her trembling hands. She was about to start crying, but Vincent quickly hugged her and reassuringly said, “You are safe here, and I will keep you safe. I won’t abandon you even if others hunt you. So cry all you want, and forget the past you dislike.”

Such caring words shattered the emotional container collecting all the feelings and memories she suppressed. The gray goblin burst into tears while Vincent gently rubbed her back with a reassuring touch, showing her that she has his support.

Kazumi looked at Vincent and the gray goblin. One crying and the other supporting.

Kazumi could now understand why Vincent was acting similarly to his savior Kevin. It was as if Vincent was saving his past self.

‘The saved becomes the savior. I bet Vincent is also reflecting on how hardheaded he was in the past. This encounter is a blessing in disguise.’ Kazumi thought about Vincent and his emotional growth.

A minute passed like this, and the time to change her mind was quickly ending. Vincent looked at the soul domain watch and understood he should hurry.

“We don’t have much time left. I know you must have felt horrible and blame yourself for the death of many goblins. But don’t place all the blame all on yourself. The humans following you was a fate that couldn’t be changed.” Vincent stopped hugging the gray goblin and placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her with a reassuring grip.

*Sniffle* “No goblin died.” *Sniffle* The gray goblin revealed.

“Huh?”

[Huh?]

historical

Both Vincent and Kazumi question in surprise.

“After the humans came and started capturing us without hurting us very much” *Sniffle* “A massive black snake with a round-shaped scar on its head appeared.” *Sniffle*

“I remember seeing its eyes looking at everyone and then start attacking only the humans. But it was all my fault. My gray color started the misfortune.” *Sniffle*

“A few years later, after we found another place to stay.” *Sniffle* “My mother became sick.” *Sniffle*

“One day, I secretly snuck out of our tribe to find a healing herb. It was a herb I overheard my father asking to find. One I saw my mother sometimes use.” *Sniffle*

“But I got lost, and I got hurt.” *Sniffle* “I found a place with many herbs to treat my wounds and the herb I was looking for a few days later. The smell of the herbs made me feel as if my mother was with me. I didn’t feel alone.” *Sniffle*

“My mother loved to use plants and herbs. ” *Sniffle* “I loved staying with my mother because I was too afraid to leave my home after what happened with the humans.” *Sniffle*

“Later... a bear appeared where I stayed, and it started running after me.” *Sniffle* “I ran and ran, shouted and cried. When I thought I couldn’t run anymore, two goblins came to help.” *Sniffle*

“But... but...” *Sniffle* “They died to help me return home...” *Sniffle* “I killed them.” *Sniffle* “And when I returned...” *Sniffle* “I found out my mother passed away two days before because of me. My mother died because she worried too much, and her condition became worse...”

“Waaaa” The gray goblin started crying again, fiercer than before.

Vincent embraced the gray goblin again. He gave her a shoulder to cry on and tried his best to help her relieve her sadness.

“I deserve death. Grim reaper.” The gray goblin wished.

“No! You deserve a second chance!” Vincent frowned and broke the hug.

“I was like you. I blamed myself for my parent’s death, but a person made me realize something. So, let me ask you this. What would your mother say? Wouldn’t she be unhappy to see you like this?” Vincent started to become emotional.

“Someone helped me realize that my parents wanted me to be happy and live a good life in their stead. Now I will be that someone to you. I trust that you aren’t at fault, so believe in me that believes in you. Your mother would want to see you happy and not sad.” Vincent tried his best to make the gray goblin choose life over death.

However, Vincent made a mistake by adding, “Won’t your friends want to see you happy as well?”

*Sniffle* “No goblin wants to be my friend. Plants are my only friends. My friends helped many sick or injured after I left them beside a suffering goblin’s bed. ” *Sniffle*

“What do you think about a life with friends, siblings, and a trusting family? Would you like that kind of life? ” Vincent asked.

The gray goblin wiped her snot and looked at Vincent. “No one wants me... rebirth will not change my fate...” She said with a saddened expression.

“Ahh, Kazumi didn’t mean rebirth in that way. Sorry for making you think otherwise, hehe. ” Vincent chuckled after he understood the word rebirth means differently when the person hearing this keeps thinking Vincent is a grim reaper.

“I am Vincent, and my family name is Agius. I am not a grim reaper. I am a human who came here from another world.” Vincent stood up, removed his shirt and bandages, then pointed at the Hero Mark.

“You say you bring misfortune to those around you. You say humans hunt you. Then we are the same.”