Chapter 6: Quest Complete
Inigo accepted the page and headed off, walking past villagers who gave him side-eye glances and steered their kids away. One even muttered, "Outsider troublemaker," under their breath.
He ignored them. If he wanted to survive here, he needed to earn respect—and tokens.
The walk to Farmer Hobb's land took about fifteen minutes. The field was fallow, and the farmhouse looked like it hadn't been painted in decades. A burly man in a straw hat stood near a coop, muttering angrily while examining broken boards.
"You Hobb?" Inigo asked.
The man turned. His brow furrowed at Inigo's outfit, but he nodded. "That'd be me. You from the village?"
"Sort of. Here about the goblins. Job board."
"You?" Hobb barked a laugh. "You look like a lost city brat."
Inigo smiled thinly. "Let me worry about that. Just point me to where you saw them."
Hobb scratched his chin. "By the creek to the north. Took my chickens last night. Heard squeals and saw small shadows scurry off. They build nests near the rocks this time of year."
"Any idea how many?"
"Three. Maybe five. Not more than seven."