2 days ago.

As Ben chewed on the apples he went towards the western gate, the opposite one from the Pond Town's main gate, and there were guards and several medium-sized carriages headed by two horses lined in a row.
He heard a familiar voice.

“Yo Ben! You also want to go on the goblins extermination today?”

“Morning. That's good job for me to earn monies. You saved me the trouble.”

“What, don’t mention it. This may be sudden but we don’t have much time until departure. Show your town entry token and get in the coach.”

Normally, nobody would participate without asking about the mission and the rewards in detail, but because it seemed to be a regular job, people were coming in one after another without asking about the details.
Besides, he believed the Sam, town soldier was not the type of guy to double-cross him, so he quietly got on the coach.

“All right! Let’s go!”

The three coaches each carrying 6 people started off together.
Luckily, Ben in the same coach with Sam.

“Sam, truth be told I don’t know anything about the goblins extermination other than that we’re hunting monsters. Can you tell me about it?”

“Is it your first time? You have quite the appearance so I thought you were a regular… Oh well, we’ve got time while we’re moving, I’ll explain on the way.”

“Sorry for the bother.”

“Firstly, the target for the hunt is just as the name ‘goblins subjugation’ says. But the crucial part is that we’re hunting a large pack of goblins." 

Sam resumed explanation.

"Goblins were small monsters whose appearance resembles human child. They were ugly and uncivilised and goblins only consist male. Their number grows by using human wombs."

"Human wombs?" Ben furrowed his eyebrows.

Sam smirked, "Goblins abducted human women and rape them. After weeks, the human women became mother of goblins. They reproduce fast as a woman is pregnant for 2 weeks for each goblins."

Ben spit to outside. " That's disgusting."

"Goblins live and move in group. A group of 5 goblins may not be dangerous. But a group of over 20 goblins can destroy a village." 

"But we are going to attack them with a group 18 mercenaries, right? We are a lot stronger than a village." Ben said in an attempt to make himself feel good.

Sam looked at Ben quietly for a while. 

"Initially reported numbers usually is deceiving. The incidents of goblins were often reported by poor village. They tend underestimate the number to avoid expensive payment to mercenaries. So, guild made a rule of thumb, if they received reports on goblins, the guild raise them number by five fold. As the current request reported sightings of 20 goblins, so actual figures are inflated to over 100 goblins."

Ben was shocked. "Over 100. That's troublesome. We are even risking our life for some little money by the poor village.!" He raised his voice.

"Well, goblins and monsters are real threat to nobles and mercenaries. So, the awards are paid by them." 

Hearing Sam's answer, Ben sighed a relief. 

"Anyway, 18 of us against 100 something goblins. On average, each mercenary get award for 6 or 7 goblins. How much?"

"3 gold coin each."

Ben laughed, "Haha, then I will get 21 gold coin. Enough for me to survive without work in Pond Town for a year!"

Sam shook his head. 

"It's not that easy. We won't face the same type of goblins each time. Some goblins evolved into bigger and stronger goblins. Have you heard of giant goblins, rare goblins and hobgoblins? Some even develop skills like human. Goblins become healer, mage."

Ben sighed, "Annoying pests."

"Furthermore, goblins attacked in groups. They were cunning and we'll versed with trap, petty tactics, and ambush. They don't engage you in battle unless they are confident in their numbers."

“Then come winter the resources in the forest dwindles. The starving goblins normally belong to separate packs but comes together one after the other into one large pack, and they would come to open areas like highways and villages searching for food.”

“Of course, if it were a normal goblin pack they wouldn’t be a problem. Everyone around here knows that, merchants and coaches carrying people who go from town to town would increase their numbers by getting armed guards.”

“But this is not enough against a pack led by a for example, hobgoblin, is it?”

“That’s right, merchant caravans numbering 50 people would get destroyed, villagers in pioneer villages would all get eaten, women taken for breeding.”

If it’s a 50-person merchant caravan, then the number of armed guards couldn’t be counted on one’s fingers.
Being capable of destroying that, the strength of the hobgoblins and the number of goblins it lead must be in the double digits.

“So before winter we’re calling every armed mercenary and strongmen and send them into the forest to lure the goblins out and destroy them. Their numbers shouldn’t be too much now when there’s still food.”

“In that case, wouldn’t it be easier to let them gain numbers and defeat them when they come out into the plains?”

“The pack gets amazingly big once winter comes and we would suffer heavy losses. Besides, if the army moved together in large numbers they would quickly run away.”

“There’s no way we can run and catch up with goblins,” he laughed.

“Which is why we need to whittle the goblins’ numbers down as much as possible in this season. Killing the goblins in particular would mean that even when winter comes the goblins won’t form a larger pack so it gets maximum preference, hobgoblins are rare so replacements don’t appear so easily.”

“However, in this season the pack hasn’t gotten large so if we send in a large number of people they will be on guard and won’t come out to attack. Which is why we’re sending in small parties stationed far apart. Of course, with the small numbers the danger gets correspondingly higher.”

Well of course, a pack of wolves is like an army with a leader.
They have enough power against small groups of people.

“It’s like injured people keep coming out every day, this year, more people were found dead each day. Though it’s rare that a party gets annihilated.”

“Hey, can I talk to you for a moment.”

A female voice cut in from their side.

“We have some circumstance and another and we’re just me and her over there. If you’re on your own, would you like to go with us?”

The girl who called out looked about 15 years old, she had red shoulder-length hair and a body just slightly shorter than Sam, which was tall for a girl.
Her body was muscular and tense, and her breasts are so-so.
The other one who seemed to be in the party was about the same age as the redhead, she had chestnut-colored hair reaching below her shoulders and her height is on the short side.
Her body seemed to be soft as a woman would be and her breasts and butt stood out properly. The most striking part about her was her ears. Her ears was slightly upward longer than average human.

"A half-elf." Both Ben and Sam whispered at the same time.

Half elves were a descendant of human marriage with elves.  By the her look, they assumed the girl was granddaughter of mixed marriage between human and forest elf. Forest elves live in forest and had fair skin and longer ear upward. They were very talented with bow and all had magical ability.

She looked Ben's way with a dissatisfied or just disinterested face and lightly nodded.
This woman didn’t seem to be very eager.

“All right. I’ll be in your care.”

Ben raised a thumb at Sam.
Strong men were probably preferable in battle but if we’re going to go together, then it definitely had to be  girls.
What’s more, though these two were of different types they are rather beautiful.

“I’m Mireille, a mercenary from Shira village. My weapon is this light sword which I hold with both hands. I’ll be in your care!”

The weapon Mireille showed me was an 50 cm long double edged sword, the blade seemed to be iron but it was thin, it looks to be the same weight as a one-handed sword for men.
She had ordinary leather armour, it looked heavy for a girl to carry so she must have confidence in her strength.

“I’m Lily, an archer. I fight with a bow so if the enemy comes to me I’m running away.”

The bow Lily carried was a relatively large one that looks hard to use, but since she’s a hunter then she must be good at handling it.
The quiver next to her contained 100 arrows fletched with differently colored feathers.
She was wearing simple armour made of tanned leather, she probably didn’t expect close combat.
But thanks to that, her ample breast and butt lines were clearly showing and looked great.

“I’m Ben, a mercenary from other country. My weapon is this.”

Ben showed his broad sword and of course their expression changed.

“A bastard sword?  Can you really swing it?”

“Of course, I’m not going to bring a weapon I can’t use.”

As we finished our self-introductions we arrived at the place we’re in charge of.
The coaches returned to Pond town for a while and will be back at dusk.

The 18 of mercenaries walked through the forest.

Ben looked at Mireille from bottom up. "Your armour looked cheap but decently made. We don't see this kind in shops"

Mireille answered, " Well, we are not rich. We earn money just enough to survive. Our armour is self made, by me."

“Well, I once worked in a place where they make leather. I made most of my armour by myself.”

The armour Mireille wore looked to have a rough finish but it was thick on the vitals and the easily-targeted stomach, it was made for combat.

“It must be good being able to make armour by yourself. If my armour gets worn out will you check it out for me?”

“All right, but of course I’m going to charge you.”

“With what you’re getting for the hunt you sure want to earn money, huh.”

“That’s about right, I guess. We’re barely getting by. The participation fee can get us our lodging fees somewhat, but winter is coming soon, and if I don’t buy food and pelts my village is going to be in trouble.”

“How about Lily?”

She would be bored if we left her out so I chatted her up.

“I’ve been a hunter since I was born. Whether my prey be animals or humans is just a triviality.”

“She’s from a stray hunter family. Since her father died she had no place or group to care for.” Mireille explained.