Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking

Before coming here, March 7th had considered many possibilities—perhaps the people needing rescue were already dead, or they had been horribly mistreated. She had prepared herself mentally, determined to bring them back regardless of their condition.

But people like this—even if brought back—would live no better than walking corpses, wouldn't they?

For them, was survival truly a blessing?

March 7th didn't know. She couldn't understand. She had come here out of goodwill, wanting to save those in need, only to find that hope had long since abandoned them.

She hated the culprits behind all of this but lacked the courage to face the atrocities they had wrought.

The horrors before her made her stomach churn, forcing out everything she'd eaten earlier. Her mind trembled, and rationality screamed for her to leave this place at once—

But she clung tightly to Stelle's hand, unwilling to let go, repeatedly apologizing in her heart.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry...

The same despair overtook the young priestess. Her face paled as if recalling something from her past. Her shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and she clutched her staff, retreating until she tripped on a rock and nearly fell.

Thankfully, Dan Heng was nearby and caught her in time, his expression dark and brooding.

Perhaps this expedition needed to be paused. If March 7th continued in her current state, it would only hurt her further.

Meanwhile, Venti turned to look at Goblin Slayer, who silently walked toward one of the survivors. He had already unsheathed the short sword at his waist, each step deliberate as he approached.

When he finally stood before the girl, his shadow blocked the rare glimmer of light. The girl, who had been like a lifeless husk, raised her head at last. Her features, despite the scars and matted hair, hinted at a once-beautiful visage.

Now, she looked more like a ghost than a human.

The figure reflected in her hollow eyes remained unmoved.

"You're badly injured. I'm not sure the church will even take you back," Goblin Slayer said in a low voice.

"...Ah... ah..."

The girl's parched throat and cracked lips moved as if trying to form words, but no sound came out.

"So, I'll give you two options."

He lifted a water flask from his belt, holding it alongside his short sword in front of her.

"If you want to live, drink this. If you want to die, I'll grant you release."

Goblin Slayer's words triggered an almost reflexive reaction in the priestess. She steadied herself with Dan Heng's support and grabbed Goblin Slayer's sword hand.

"Wait! She can still be saved! I can cast Minor Heal. As long as she's alive, we can figure out a way to help her later!"

Her head lowered as she pleaded, her voice choked with sobs.

"So please... don't kill her. Please stop doing this…"

Goblin Slayer fell silent, his gaze shifting to Venti, awaiting his input.

The normally carefree and lighthearted bard had shed his usual demeanor. Instead, he gazed seriously at the girl.

"Rather than us deciding, I think... she's already made her choice."

The girl, with what little strength she had left, reached out toward the water flask in Goblin Slayer's hand.

As the water touched her lips, her vitality seemed to return slightly. She tilted her head back to drink, coughing and choking but refusing to stop until she could no longer swallow.

Water, mixed with blood, dripped from her chin onto her filthy body. This girl, who had endured the depths of hell, had chosen life.

Goblin Slayer re-sheathed his short sword and began freeing her from the shackles. The priestess immediately cast Minor Heal twice in succession.

Before their eyes, the external wounds began to scab and heal, while her weakened state visibly improved. The residual energy from the spell worked to repair her internal injuries as well.

Next, they administered a healing potion.

With this combination of miracle spells and potent medicine, the girl's condition shifted from near death to moderate injury.

The girl had no time to express gratitude before falling unconscious. Dan Heng carried her, while Venti draped his cloak over her frail frame.

March 7th, staring at the girl who had fought so desperately to survive, lowered her head, her spirit drained.

"...I'm sorry. I know this is selfish, but... I want to pause our adventure for now."

"You know we won't force you," Venti said softly, his voice reassuring.

"And I think Mimiya's caravan should arrive soon. Could I ask you and Dan Heng to take her outside the cave and wait for us there?"

"...Alright."

March 7th nodded heavily and left the group with Dan Heng.

Stelle looked at Venti, puzzled. "Why not let March stay? I think she needs us with her now more than ever."

"She's not that fragile. She just needs time to calm down," Venti replied, shaking his head slightly. Without his cloak, his frame seemed unusually slender. His gaze rested briefly on the young priestess, who now looked as if she had found salvation.

"Besides, one of our greatest freedoms is deciding how to respond to what we face. March is naturally upset and confused by all this—those emotions are inevitable on a path like ours. But I don't think she'll give up so easily."

Seeing Stelle's lingering confusion, Venti's usual smile returned, the self-assured expression of someone who believed he'd said something profound.

"So, trust her. Sometimes, witnessing her choices is better than worrying."

"…I hope so," Stelle murmured, still uncertain.

"—Alright, let's move on," Venti said, summoning the ethereal form of his Favonius Bow. His tone turned resolute.

"Caring for each other is important, but so is dealing with the goblins."

"Well said."

Goblin Slayer broke the silence. Although he had refrained from meddling in the internal affairs of this team as an outsider, he couldn't help but worry about whether their reduced numbers would weaken the group's overall combat effectiveness.

From what he had observed, however, there were still reliable people in the team.

He turned to Venti and began outlining the plan for the upcoming battle.

"There are still many goblins inside the cave. For now, they likely won't make any moves. They'll hunker down in their nest, waiting for us to walk into their trap."

Stelle, who had been quietly listening, raised a question.

"I've been meaning to ask—aren't goblins supposed to be low-intelligence monsters? That's what the guild bestiary says. But so far, they seem... cunning."

Goblin Slayer replied calmly.

"Goblins are stupid, but not unintelligent. I've studied them. While they often appear inept, they adapt quickly when fighting adventurers. They learn from experience and develop strategies to counter their opponents."

"So, they're the type that grows stronger with each fight?" Stelle asked, her brow furrowed.

"Not exactly. While they do improve during battles, it takes a long time for them to reach the level of those larger goblins—the ones that pose a real threat to silver-ranked adventurers and below. It's not something they can achieve in a single fight."

Goblin Slayer shared his knowledge without holding back.

"If you fight them enough, you'll notice that goblins adjust their tactics based on the weapons you use.

"For instance, if you wield a staff, they'll learn to mimic your swings. They'll send out decoys to distract you, while others sneak up from behind to attack.

"Inexperienced adventurers often make the mistake of focusing on these decoys, revealing openings that the goblins exploit. Once they overwhelm you and pin you to the ground, the situation becomes extremely dangerous."

As he explained, the young priestess couldn't help but recall a novice warrior from her old party. She had watched as he swung his longsword in the cave, only for the blade to bounce off the ceiling's stone, leaving him surrounded by goblins. They had pinned him down and stabbed at his arms and legs with poisoned knives, relentlessly.

In such a situation, only a miracle could save someone. Otherwise, survival was impossible.

"So, don't give them a chance to learn or escape," Goblin Slayer said, his tone growing more serious. "If they flee, they'll come back with counter-strategies."

"Got it. What's the plan, then?" Stelle asked.

"Simple: Fire"

If this had been before, they would have needed to consider how to spread the flames before the goblins could react. The presence of a shaman among the goblins complicated things—they might even order their larger goblins to extinguish the fire by brutally tearing apart their comrades and using their blood as a suppressant. Goblins, after all, contained far more blood than an average human.

Goblin Slayer had seen such barbaric but effective methods before.

But if the fire could spread before the goblins realized what was happening, then no matter how many reinforcements they sent, they would only fuel the flames.

"I'll throw a flask of oil into the nest. Your job is to shoot a flaming arrow to ignite it. Once the fire catches, use wind magic to fan the flames and ensure they spread."

He gestured toward Venti.

"When they try to flee through the entrance, the priestess will block it with her Holy Barrier."

His plan was straightforward, almost childishly simple. Yet for goblins, it was precisely this kind of direct approach that left them helpless.

Once the fire spread, their survival instincts would override any semblance of strategy. Even with a shaman's leadership, chaos would reign.

The priestess nodded. "I'm on board!"

Having cast Minor Heal twice earlier, she still had one miracle left—perfect for creating the Holy Barrier.

"What about me?" Stelle asked. "What's my role?"

"That dog tunnel over there likely connects to the goblins' nest. Guard it. If any goblins try to escape through it, smash their heads in."

Goblin Slayer pointed to a narrow tunnel near the trash heap.

"Other than that, I'll set up some tripwires along the main path to stop any larger goblins. If everyone's ready, let's proceed."

"Sounds like a plan. Let's do it!" Venti agreed with a nod.

With the plan settled, the group immediately got to work. Despite their reduced numbers, the simplicity of the strategy made it highly efficient.

Once Goblin Slayer finished setting up the traps, he signaled Venti to follow him deeper into the cave, while the priestess and Stelle took their positions.

---

At the entrance to the goblin nest, the air was pitch-black. The goblins, aware of intruders, had extinguished their fires, leaving only the sound of heavy breathing echoing through the darkness.

Goblin Slayer tilted his head, listening carefully, and then spoke in a low voice.

"There are four big ones. Two to the left, one to the right, and another deeper inside. It's likely shielding the shaman."

"Shall we stick to the plan?" Venti asked.

"Yeah."

Goblin Slayer pulled a flask of oil from his pouch and hurled it into the nest. The ceramic jar shattered with a crisp sound, black liquid spilling across the floor.

The noise agitated the goblins, who began to stir restlessly in the darkness.

One of the larger goblins, closest to the entrance, charged toward the source of the disturbance. But Venti was faster—his flaming arrow shot through the air, igniting the oil in a flash.

In an instant, the cavern lit up with roaring flames, revealing the scene within: a mass of goblins, huddled together like rats, with bones littering the floor around them.

The two nearest larger goblins, now ablaze, thrashed wildly, screaming for help. Deeper inside, the shaman, guarded by another large goblin, began chanting an incantation in its guttural tongue.

Drawing water elements from the air, it summoned an artificial storm cloud, attempting to extinguish the flames.

Goblin Slayer remained calm. "Venti, use wind magic."

"Heh, watch and learn!" Venti drew his Favonuis Bow, channeling wind energy into his arrow. The sheer force of the condensed wind howled as he released it.

The green arrow streaked toward the fire, igniting a fiery vortex. The sudden surge of heat evaporated the storm cloud, raining scalding steam upon the goblins. The shaman froze, unable to comprehend what had happened.

The goblins shrieked in agony as the flames consumed them. Smaller ones were sucked into the vortex, fueling the inferno. Even the larger goblins trembled in fear, instinctively bolting toward the exit—only to be tripped by Goblin Slayer's traps.

Those who managed to avoid the traps were hurled into the air by a sudden gust of wind, their massive bodies dragged back into the blaze. Goblin Slayer took down the fleeing shaman with a single arrow.

The priestess, arriving at the scene, was momentarily stunned by the intensity of the fire. She hesitated, realizing her Holy Barrier would likely crumble under such heat.

Eventually, the flames subsided, leaving behind charred remains. A few goblins, lucky enough to survive, stumbled out, only to meet Goblin Slayer's sword or Stelle's staff. Those that tried to escape through the dog tunnel were swiftly crushed by Stelle's relentless strikes.

Once the last goblin fell, the team recovered several adventurer remains scattered throughout the cave. By then, Mimiya and Zarius had arrived with the quest's client, ready to assist with the aftermath.

---

Hello! Thank you so much for reading this chapter. WiseTL has worked hard to bring these wonderful stories to you, and I'm so happy we could share this moment together! Don't you think stories are a little like dreams? Each one has its own colors and shapes, and they grow even brighter when shared with others.

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