The Forgotten Village
A Trace of Hope in the Heart of the Forest
Birdsong filled the crisp morning air.
A few small Rabibas scampered through the grass around the goblin settlement as sunlight slowly filtered through the towering trees of Herkalus Forest.
Noah had already finished packing for the journey.
Beside the wagon, Elder Pota remained at his side.
Noah looked at the elderly goblin for a moment.
"Elder Pota."
"Is this the only goblin settlement left in the world?"
Pota gave a bitter smile.
"Long ago..."
"...our people were countless."
"But after we lost the war against the Orcs..."
"...we were driven from our homeland."
He glanced at the simple stone houses surrounding the village.
"In the end..."
"...only we remained."
Noah fell silent for a few moments.
Then he placed a hand on Pota's shoulder.
"Someday..."
"...Noaterra will help your people."
Pota's eyes trembled slightly.
"Thank you, My Lord."
Not long afterward...
the wagon departed from the goblin village.
Pota stood at the gate, waving until Noah's group disappeared among the trees.
Their journey continued.
Nox sat beside Lania on the driver's bench, occasionally pointing out the route.
Lania had fully recovered from her injuries.
The farther north they traveled...
the more the forest began to change.
The trees gradually lost their vibrant green.
The ground turned dark and almost black.
In several places, pools of glossy black liquid shimmered beneath the sunlight.
Noah studied them carefully.
"This..."
"...looks like crude oil."
He turned toward Nox.
"Nox."
"Has this area always looked like this?"
The young goblin nodded.
"Yes, My Lord."
"It has been this way ever since we settled near the village."
He pointed farther ahead.
"But before long, the forest becomes green again."
A few moments later...
Noah noticed small bubbles rising from one of the black marshes beside the road.
"Lania."
"Stop the wagon for a moment."
The wagon came to a halt.
Noah climbed down, notebook in hand.
He approached the marsh.
More bubbles surfaced.
He leaned closer, taking in the scent drifting from the water.
Then a broad smile spread across his face.
"I knew it."
"This really is crude oil."
He immediately recorded the location.
"Astra."
"Save this location."
"Location name: Oil Field."
"Confirmation received."
"Coordinates have been successfully recorded."
Lee watched from a distance.
By now, he had long since stopped trying to guess what Noah had discovered.
A few minutes later, Noah climbed back onto the wagon.
"Lee."
"Does this world use liquid fuels?"
Lee thought for a moment.
"It does."
"But they're mostly used for lighting."
He inhaled the air around them.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Wait..."
"...don't tell me that smell came from the marsh?"
Noah nodded.
"Exactly."
Lee looked at him.
"So..."
"...what are you thinking now?"
Noah smiled.
"I'm becoming more convinced than ever."
"Nearly all the natural resources in this part of Herkalus Forest have never been exploited by any kingdom."
Lee nodded thoughtfully.
"Probably because the monsters and wild creatures discourage anyone from exploring this place."
Nox had quietly listened to their conversation the entire time.
Finally, he gathered the courage to ask,
"Excuse me, My Lord..."
Noah and Lee turned toward him.
"If that's true..."
"...are humans weaker than goblins?"
"We're weak too."
"But we've still managed to survive in this forest."
The simple question left Noah speechless.
He realized he had never actually considered it before.
"Hmm..."
"Maybe humans have simply grown too accustomed to living in safe places."
"Or..."
"...perhaps there's another reason."
Lee slowly shook his head.
"I don't think that's it."
He looked at the surrounding forest.
"Monster gemstones are the primary source of mana for mages."
"As long as the forests remain healthy..."
"...monsters will continue to thrive."
"...and gemstones will continue to exist."
He paused before continuing.
"If kingdoms began clearing forests on a massive scale..."
"...the monsters' habitats would be destroyed."
"Gemstone production would decline."
"That would hurt them more than it would help."
Noah nodded slowly.
Lee continued,
"Besides..."
"If one kingdom claimed an entire forest..."
"...every other kingdom would inevitably do the same."
"In the end..."
"...territorial wars would become unavoidable."
"That's why..."
"...human kingdoms have always preferred expanding their settlements instead of conquering the forests themselves."
Noah smiled.
"That makes sense."
He opened his notebook again.
Beneath his notes on natural resources, he wrote another sentence.
Noaterra must never claim land without a clear and justifiable reason.
He stared at the words for a moment.
Then quietly closed the notebook.
The sun was nearing its highest point.
"My Lord!"
Nox called excitedly.
"We're almost there."
He pointed ahead.
From a higher stretch of ground...
a plume of smoke rose into the sky.
Beyond the trees stood a simple wooden palisade surrounding a settlement.
Stone houses stood close together.
Several people carried bundles of firewood.
Thin trails of smoke drifted from the chimneys.
The village bustled with the quiet rhythm of everyday life.
But the moment Noah and Lee saw the settlement in its entirety...
they both fell silent.
"This..."
"...is much larger than I expected."
Lee slowly nodded.
"This isn't just a hidden settlement."
His gaze swept across the entire village.
The houses were arranged in an orderly manner.
Dirt roads connected every building.
Several livestock pens stood in one corner of the settlement.
Simple though it was...
there was an unmistakable sense of organization.
"I think..."
"...it's more accurate to call this a Hidden Village."
A moment later, however, Lee's expression darkened.
"But..."
"...their condition is terrible."
Noah followed his gaze.
Several children appeared painfully thin.
The surrounding fields were dry and exhausted.
They owned only a handful of livestock.
The village was still surviving...
but only barely.
Behind that humble wooden palisade...
Noah had finally reached the true destination of his long journey.
A human village...
that had been forgotten by the world.
A Choice
The wagon came to a stop before the village gate.
A simple wooden palisade surrounded the settlement. Behind it, several villagers watched Noah's group with wary expressions.
Before long, two guards stepped forward.
They looked nothing like royal soldiers.
Their clothes were plain.
The wooden spears they carried were worn with age.
Even their bodies were thin, as if they had endured hunger for a very long time.
One of the guards swallowed nervously before speaking.
"Um... excuse me..."
"Where do you come from?"
"How did you find this place?"
Lania stepped down from the wagon.
As always, she approached with calm composure.
"We come in peace."
Patiently, she explained their journey.
She told them about Noaterra.
Its purpose.
And why they had been searching for human settlements that existed beyond the kingdoms.
The two guards exchanged uneasy glances.
One of them hurried into the village.
A few moments later...
an elderly man emerged, accompanied by several villagers.
His hair was completely white.
Yet his eyes still held quiet strength.
"I am Brodo."
"The people here have entrusted me with leading this village."
Lania bowed slightly.
"My Lord Noah is our leader."
She then explained their purpose in greater detail.
Brodo listened without interrupting.
When she finished, he slowly nodded.
"Please."
"Come inside."
"We have much to discuss."
A Village That Endured
Brodo led them to a modest village hall.
As they walked...
Noah carefully observed the settlement.
From a distance, it had looked simple.
Up close...
its condition was far worse than he had imagined.
The dirt roads were riddled with holes.
The stone houses had fallen into disrepair.
Several fields had dried up.
The livestock pens contained only a few scrawny animals.
Even the children running through the village looked smaller than their age should have suggested.
Everything pointed to the same truth.
The village was surviving...
but only just.
Once they reached the village hall, Brodo began his story.
"Hundreds of years ago..."
"...we were nothing more than a group of refugees."
"Some fled from kingdoms."
"Some were exiled."
"Others chose to abandon their former lives."
He paused briefly.
"And then we built this place."
Brodo gestured toward a group of villagers who had been quietly watching the meeting.
"In fact..."
"...we aren't all human."
Lee followed his gaze.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Elves..."
A moment later, he was surprised again.
"Dark Elves too?"
Brodo nodded.
"They all live here together."
Lee asked curiously,
"No goblins or orcs?"
Brodo shook his head.
"No."
"Only humans and elves."
Noah and Lee exchanged glances.
They both understood.
The goblins still accepted their own kind.
So did the orcs.
But among humans and elves...
there were still those who cast aside members of their own race.
Brodo continued.
"This village began with only a few dozen people."
"Little by little, our numbers grew."
"But..."
"...we never had a leader capable of truly building a future."
"We simply kept moving."
"Surviving."
"Then moving again."
"For hundreds of years..."
"...our lives have barely changed."
Silence filled the room.
After a while, Brodo looked at Noah.
"If your intentions are truly as Lania described..."
"...then I'll gather everyone."
"They should decide for themselves."
He smiled faintly.
"But..."
"...if some choose to remain..."
"...then I will stay with them."
Noah nodded quietly.
"I understand."
Deep inside, he thought,
I can't force anyone.
But I also don't want to leave an old leader to face all of this alone.
The Road to Noaterra
Not long afterward...
every villager gathered in the small square at the center of the settlement.
Lania stood before them.
In a calm voice, she explained what Noaterra was.
The life they were building.
The opportunity to begin again.
Some villagers whispered among themselves.
Some looked doubtful.
Others simply couldn't believe what they were hearing.
But many also began to glimpse a ray of hope.
When Lania finished speaking...
she said,
"Anyone who wishes to come with us..."
"...please stand on the right."
"Those who choose to remain..."
"...will not be forced."
Silence fell once more.
Slowly...
one villager stepped forward.
Then another.
The line on the right grew longer and longer.
In the end...
nearly the entire village chose to join Noaterra.
Only a few dozen people remained.
Lania looked toward Noah.
Noah walked over to Brodo.
"It seems..."
"...not everyone has chosen to leave."
Brodo smiled peacefully.
"That's all right."
"I've already made my decision."
"I'll remain with those who stay."
He looked toward the villagers who had chosen not to leave.
"The fewer we are..."
"...the easier it will be for us to survive."
Noah didn't try to persuade him.
He simply nodded with respect.
The villagers who had decided to leave began packing.
Their few belongings were placed into sacks and baskets.
Most owned very little.
Only clothes.
A handful of farming tools.
And memories of the village that had been their home for so many years.
Just then...
Nox stepped down from the wagon.
Several villagers immediately cried out.
"A goblin!"
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Some of the men grabbed their spears.
Before any misunderstanding could escalate...
Lania stepped forward once again.
Patiently, she explained how they had met the goblins.
How Nox had guided them to this village.
And how the goblins, too, lived in fear.
Little by little...
the tension faded.
A short while later...
a young boy noticed the tiny Rabiba perched on Noah's shoulder.
"Wow..."
"So cute."
"Mister..."
"...can I hold it?"
Noah smiled.
Lucia, still in her Rabiba form, immediately jumped into the boy's arms.
Soft laughter spread through the crowd.
For a brief moment...
the fear that had hung over the village disappeared.
Before they departed...
Noah approached those who had chosen to stay.
"If one day..."
"...you change your minds..."
"Come to Noaterra."
"Our doors will always be open."
Several villagers nodded quietly.
In truth, many of them wanted to go.
But they still couldn't fully trust the power Noah and Lucia possessed.
They feared...
that this new life might simply replace one form of oppression with another.
Noah understood their concerns.
Because trust...
could never be built in a single day.
Not long afterward...
the large procession finally departed from the village.
No longer were there only Noah, Lee, Lania, and Nox.
Now, hundreds of people walked behind the wagon on the road back to Noaterra.
One mother looked back one last time at her small stone house. Her teenage son had chosen to remain behind to protect the village.
A young girl hugged a small flowerpot containing the plant she had cared for over many years—the only keepsake she wished to bring into her new life.
An elderly grandmother carried her young grandchild in her arms. Her son had stayed behind to care for his sick wife, making the long journey to Noaterra impossible for them.
For the first time...
most of the forgotten villagers stepped toward a future they had never imagined.
Toward a place...
they hoped would become their new home.
Noaterra.