Relics

Likewise, following the strategy they had settled on earlier, Zeliel put all four attribute points into Intelligence as usual.

Strength: 65

Agility: 61

Constitution: 68

Spirit: 71

Intelligence: 78—82

Perception: 30

Charisma: 48—49

Luck: 41

Talent Skill:

Spell Structure Evolution.

His Intelligence had successfully broken through the threshold of 80.

He just did not know whether this improvement could help him break through the shackles and reach the threshold for advancing to a lower mage.

Additionally, Zeliel had gained a new spell—Malicious Words.

Malicious Words, analysis progress—2%

It was another spell that came with progress upon acquisition, so its spell level presumably would not be very high.

Still, Zeliel was quite looking forward to Malicious Words. He had never encountered spiritual magic before.

And judging by its earlier performance, Malicious Words had considerable control capabilities. It could slow Marcus and the other two's movements for several seconds.

Used properly, it would be a very good skill.

The air was thick with the stench of blood. Goblin remains and severed limbs littered the ground, while blood seeped into the soil and slowly snaked through it, making one a little nauseous.

"It's over..."

Marcus planted his battle blade into the dirt. Leaning on its hilt, he panted heavily as sweat dripped from his chin.

"Haha... Hahahaha!"

Gak's excitement had yet to fade. He let out a hearty laugh. "That mission was a real blast!"

After killing the White-Haired Goblin, Gak had finally been able to cut loose and fight to his heart's content.

He had chopped those little runts in half one by one as though splitting firewood, finally venting the frustration of being suppressed earlier.

Hill leaned against the cave entrance, wiping the crimson fluid from her dagger with a white cloth.

Her movements were elegant, yet her eyes held a trace of cold indifference that did not match her earlier demeanor.

Not a drop of goblin blood had gotten on Hill.

Zeliel happened to glance her way, and a chill inexplicably ran through his heart.

An assassin's gaze really was frightening.

Ordinarily, the next step would be to clean up the battlefield and collect the spoils.

But goblins were an exception.

Though they were also [Easy]-ranked monsters, slimes produced magic cores, while goblins had nothing at all.

Even their meat was inedible—contaminated, and poisonous if consumed.

It could be said that these things were utterly worthless to humans.

For that very reason, goblin bounties in all kinds of commissions were far higher than those for other [Easy]-ranked monsters. A slime was worth three silver coins, while a goblin fetched ten.

If the price were not higher, no one would be willing to take the job.

As Marcus and the others picked through the battlefield, cutting off goblins' left ears for collection, they also nudged aside limbs with their toes to see whether there were any weapons worth salvaging.

But the result was deeply disappointing.

The goblins' equipment was terribly shabby. Since it had not been carefully maintained, most of it had rusted away completely and was worthless.

They would be lucky to get a few silver coins for it at the blacksmith's, and they would have to carry all this dead weight back the entire way, so they simply left it behind.

In any case, the bounty for this mission was generous enough.

While everyone was busy, Zeliel trotted over to the White-Haired Goblin.

He had seen it clearly just now: when the White-Haired Goblin cast Malicious Words, it had waved the cane in its hand.

If that was a staff, then he had struck it rich!

Even if it was low quality, it should be worth several dozen gold coins, right?

The White-Haired Goblin's corpse lay quietly on the ground, still clutching that white bone cane.

Zeliel picked it up and examined it closely, even trying to channel mana into it.

But he quickly discovered that it was merely an ordinary leg bone, probably a human leg bone at that. Several rows of fine tooth marks ran across it.

"Fuck... what rotten luck." Zeliel threw it aside in disgust.

"All right, it's all junk this time. Don't waste any more time."

After finishing the count, Marcus cleared his throat and began his report.

"For this mission, we killed three Orc Goblins, one White-Haired Goblin, and twenty-five ordinary goblins."

"Each Orc Goblin is worth seven gold coins, the White-Haired Goblin is worth ten gold coins, and ordinary goblins are worth ten silver coins each."

"Based on the bounty offered in the commission, we can collect thirty-three gold and fifty silver in total. Adding the additional twenty gold coins offered by the association, the final reward comes to fifty-three gold and fifty silver."

"Everyone put a great deal into this battle, but each person played a different role. As for the distribution, I will do my best to keep it fair and impartial. If anyone has objections, speak up."

"Zeliel gets twelve gold. Vales and Hill get ten gold each. Of the remaining twenty-one gold and fifty silver, after deducting five silver for the rented carriage, Gray, Gak, and I will split it evenly. Each of us gets seven gold and fifteen silver."

After speaking, Marcus swept his gaze over the group. "Any problems?"

Gray and Gak shrugged, indicating that they had no objections.

A reward of seven gold and fifteen silver was something they could only get by hitting the jackpot with a mission like this. Otherwise, who knew how long they would have to grind through commissions?

Besides, they were not the core members of the party. Getting this much money was already pretty good.

Everyone else accepted the distribution plan as well.

Zeliel's contribution in this battle was plain for all to see.

Arcane Missile had landed the crucial blow, swiftly killing the White-Haired Goblin, and he had then taken down an Orc Goblin as well.

Vales's Thunder Arrow had also played a major role, helping clear out the lesser goblins and creating an opening for Zeliel.

When the three-man bait group had been heavily controlled, Hill had stepped forward and drawn the goblins' attention. Otherwise, Marcus and the others would likely have suffered casualties.

Besides, one was a mage, while the other two were intermediate-class professionals. By the usual rules, it was only right that they received a larger share.

"All right."

Marcus clapped his hands. "Now let's search the cave for Rod's Party's relics."

"You go in. I'll stand guard outside." Hill gestured.

"Why?" Gak scratched his head.

"Because it stinks," Hill answered bluntly.

Zeliel cast Illumination, making a ball of light float above the party, then gestured as well.

"You go in first."

"Why?" Gak asked again.

"Because I don't like being stuck in the middle," Zeliel answered just as bluntly.

It made him feel unsafe.

The light cast a cool glow through the cave interior, and the scene matched Zeliel's imagination perfectly.

Because Orc Goblins lived here, the cave passage had been dug quite wide and would not restrict movement. However, the rock walls were damp and slick, covered in slime of unknown origin.

Animal bones were scattered everywhere across the ground beneath their feet, occasionally mixed with goblin droppings. The stench was simply unbearable.

The goblins had dug crude honeycomb-like storage nests into both sides of the cave. Filled with dry grass, they looked like places where ordinary goblins huddled together to rest.