The next morning we catch a carriage heading north west towards another frontier village. This one is right next to what we would class as the true wilderness. The terrain is gradually getting more dense vegetation, and little of the land has been developed. As we approach the village late in the evening we can just about see the encircling village palisade. As we enter the well guarded gate we can see cultivated land in every direction. The moon is the main light source, but several luminescent plants are scattered throughout the village. Being so close to the wilderness made the people of this village seal off a large portion of land so they could safely cultivate it.

Walking through the village I notice small fields with various crops in every open space and dispersed between them are fruit bearing trees and bushes. It looks like every plant in the village has been cultivated to provide some kind of sustenance. The roads and paths are few and narrow so as not to take up land that can be used to grow food. As we pass buildings, I notice that there are two kinds of buildings. Low flat buildings that are no more than underground houses with crops growing on their roofs, or they are tall wooden structures. Wealth and status has probably a lot to do with the difference.

We are brought to the village inn, a tall wooden building, were we are given food and lodging. While we eat an elderly man comes up to our table. He seems like your average friendly grandfather type. My analyze skill reveals that he is the village head. He joins us for the meal and tells us there is no need to talk business just yet, but that we should feel free to ask any questions from him.

A chance to gain information is something I would never turn down. "I have noticed that you have enclosed a lot of cultivated land in your village. Are you able to sustain your people with the food grown inside the walls?" The old man looks at me with a hint of surprise. "That is a very relevant question. We used to be able to supply all our needs from the harvest inside the village, but has the population has grown, we now need to cultivate land outside the village." The old man has clearly more to say, but is hesitating.

"If this has to do with the request, please feel free to continue. We are happy to be briefed on our job while eating." Looks like I guess the reason for the hesitation right. The old man is clearly more relaxed. Villagers near the wilderness are even more deferential to hunters than most other civilians. Hunters usually command high respect and fear wherever they go, but these villagers look at hunters with more respect than fear. They need hunters to protect them from time to time.

The old man continues to explain that the only ones who used to leave the confined village and go into the wilderness outside used to be groups of villagers capable of hunting beasts and protecting themselves, but as they have now started to cultivate land on the outside a lot more people are having to venture outside the wooden walls. "Not long ago we noticed signs of goblins in the area. They don't seem to be many, but it was enough for the villagers to stop letting women and girls help outside the walls." Having seen what happens to women taken by goblins that is an understandable reaction. It is also quite logical, since it would only increase their numbers.

"So I take it that using only half the village workforce in developing the fields outside is not a good long term strategy. Also, have you experienced theft from the crops in your field yet?" The old man confirms that my suspicions are true. They would rather not feed the goblins while waiting for them to get strong enough to attack the village or the working parties outside.

After taking down some details on the surroundings and where the goblins were spotted from the old man, we start strategizing on what to do in the morning. As we get ready to go to bed I notice that Nadi has disappeared off as she usually does in the evening. As Kira leads me to our room I notice that Rin is tagging along. Turnout out Kira only asked for one room at the inn. Well this could get a be awkward. I was planning on some physical activities before bedtime.

As we enter the room with one large bed, Kira seems to read my mind once again. "Hope you don't mind, but Rin will be joining in tonight." I am never going to get used to this worlds values on fidelity. "You know I will be no use tomorrow if you wear me out tonight, so I enlisted some help." Turning to Rin I ask her if she is fine with all this. "Mari, said you wouldn't mind that I had been defiled by goblins." Her response says it all. No doubt all my wives thought this was a good idea to help Rin get over her trauma, not to mention that most guys in this world seem reluctant to sleep with a woman who was once the plaything of goblins, unless she is as forceful as Nadi.

"I sort of get how this was all agreed, though I will never understand why any man would reject you just because of your past experiences." Kira seems very pleased with my response. Does this mean I have to marry Rin as well? I am getting laughed at enough for having married the first four girls I met as it is.

The next morning I wake up slightly confused in a Kira and Rin sandwich before I remember the night before. To my much greater surprise, I spot Nadi sitting the corner ogling us. "You had fun last night." Direct as always. I wonder why my alarm skill did not warn me when she entered the room. I prefer not to be surprised like this. Too many things in this world that can kill you, but so far jealous wives seem to be low on the list.

As we head out of the village to track the goblins, we quickly pick up their trail and by late afternoon find and dispatch of four lone goblins trying to turn a shallow cave into a nest. Very anticlimactic. The mission was to investigate and deal with a small amount of goblins. If the nest had turned out to be greater we would have had the option of reporting to the guild as it would have been outside the parameters of the mission. Instead, the mission was quickly completed and reported to the village head. "We found no signs of any more goblins, but if you like we can stay another day to keep a lookout." The village head seems more than happy with the report I have provided and declines our extension.