Catherine and Thomas stood frozen for a moment, staring at the young girl sobbing atop a pile of corpses. Her hair was tangled, her face streaked with dirt, and her body trembling. "Please… don't let me die here," the girl pleaded, her voice barely audible through her sobs.

Catherine exhaled sharply in her mind, quickly addressing the Navigator. "Is this part of the mission? Why is she here?" she asked, her tone reflecting controlled irritation.

The Navigator responded casually, "Just save her. She might be important for advancing the quest."

Thomas, hearing the conversation in his mind, immediately agreed. "We can't leave her here. Let's at least get her out of the dungeon," he said, approaching the girl. Without waiting for Catherine's response, he began removing the corpses covering the girl. Catherine glanced at him briefly with a neutral expression but didn't stop him.

Once the girl was freed, Thomas gently patted her shoulder. "We'll get you out of here. Follow us."

The girl nodded weakly, her eyes filled with fear and gratitude.

They hurried toward the dungeon's entrance, their pace quick. But before they could reach the exit, a deep rumble echoed from the cave's depths. A massive boulder hurtled toward them at high speed.

"Watch out!" Thomas yelled, pulling the girl aside as Catherine swiftly dodged in another direction. The boulder smashed into the cave wall, leaving a large crack.

From the dark shadows of the cave, a massive figure emerged: the final hobgoblin. It was twice the size of a regular goblin, with dark green skin and bulging muscles. In its hands was a huge, blood-stained club. Its glowing red eyes blazed with fury.

"Protect the girl," Catherine commanded firmly. She raised her hands, preparing a poison spell shaped like a snake. "Thomas, we have no choice but to fight it."

Thomas nodded, though hesitation flickered across his face. "Watch out for that club. One hit, and we're done." He readied his sword, taking a defensive stance.

The hobgoblin swung its club with a force that could crush stone. Catherine leaped to the side, releasing her snake-like poison spell, which coiled around the hobgoblin's arm. The poison began to take effect, leaving green burns on its skin. However, the creature growled angrily, seemingly resistant to some of the poison's effects.

Thomas seized the opportunity to strike from the side, targeting the hobgoblin's leg. His sword cut into its left thigh, causing it to stagger slightly. But the hobgoblin quickly turned and swung its club at Thomas, who rolled to the ground, barely avoiding the attack.

"We can't drag this out!" Thomas shouted.

Catherine nodded. "I'll distract it. Go for its weak point." She launched another poison spell, this time aiming for the hobgoblin's eyes. The attack hit its mark, and the creature roared in pain, swinging its club wildly.

Seeing an opening, Thomas dashed behind the hobgoblin and plunged his sword into its back with all his strength. The hobgoblin staggered, thick green blood pouring from its wound. Catherine delivered the finishing blow, unleashing a large venomous snake that coiled around the hobgoblin's head, injecting lethal poison.

The hobgoblin collapsed, its body twitching briefly before going still.

Thomas, breathing heavily, glanced at Catherine. "Nice work," he said curtly.

Catherine gave a cold nod, her gaze shifting to the girl still trembling near the cave wall. "If the Navigator is right, she's more than just a victim. We need to find out what she knows," she said.

The girl looked at them with tear-filled eyes. "Thank you… you saved me," she said hoarsely, breaking the silence.

As they stepped out of the cave entrance, a system screen appeared before Catherine and Thomas, emitting a faint blue glow in the air.

[Congratulations, mission "Hidden Dungeon Quest in Lilac Town" and Dungeon "Goblin's Lair" completed.]

A soft notification sound accompanied the message. They read the reward details displayed:

- Moondrops x200

- Base Gold x2500

- Goblin's Eyes x44

- Storybook of Heroes x20

The final prompt read:

[Do you want to continue the mission?]

Two options appeared below: [Accept] or [Decline].

Catherine frowned, speaking to the Navigator in her mind. "Why does this feel like a trap? Why does the mission end but still continue?"

The Navigator sounded uncertain but eventually replied. "Press [Accept]. We need to see what happens next."

Catherine quickly selected the option, and a new screen appeared:

[Escort the victim back to Lilac Town safely.]

She let out a long sigh, turning to the girl standing hesitantly beside them. "It's not over yet," she muttered.

Thomas, who had been watching the screen with a neutral expression, approached the girl. "What's your name?" he asked flatly.

The girl bit her lip, lowering her gaze before answering, "Sasha."

"Alright, Sasha," Thomas continued. "We're taking you back to Lilac Town."

But Sasha immediately shook her head, her voice breaking the silence with terror. "No! I don't want to go back there!"

Thomas exchanged a glance with Catherine before looking back at Sasha. "Why not? The town is safer than here."

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Sasha looked down, her body trembling. "The people in that town hate me… and my family. They don't care if I live or die. If I go back, I'll only be a burden—or worse…"

The Navigator, who had been listening, chimed in. "If she refuses to return to Lilac Town, the quest cannot be completed."

Thomas rubbed his forehead slowly. "Then we'll have to take her back by force. There's no other option if we want to finish the mission."

Catherine nodded, setting aside her reluctance. "That's a logical solution."

But the Navigator interrupted. "Wait. Before you decide, hear why she was in that cave. This is important. Her story might shape the next step."

Thomas fixed his sharp gaze on Sasha once again. "Then explain. Why were you in that cave? And why do the townsfolk hate you?"

Sasha swallowed hard, tears welling in her eyes. She hesitated, but finally spoke. "They hate my family because we're considered bad luck. My father is a farmer, but since our fields are too close to the goblin cave, monsters often roam there. He couldn't tend the land properly, so we had no income. To survive, my father borrowed money from merchants in the town."

Her voice cracked as she paused. "And I… I was in the cave because they handed me and my family over to the monsters, saying we couldn't pay our debts."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with sorrow. The silence that followed felt suffocating. Thomas glanced at Catherine, his expression cold. "So, this is what we're dealing with. A town that uses debt to justify sacrificing a child."

Catherine studied Sasha, her expression as calculating as ever. "Navigator," she said softly, "does this mission remain valid if we don't take her back to the town?"

"No," Navigator replied, "but there may be a way to alter the mission's course if you find another solution. It all depends on your decisions."

Catherine exhaled lightly, her tone tinged with irony. "Of course, everything depends on us…" She glanced at Thomas. "Well, philosopher, what's your take? Morality or mission?"

Thomas paused before speaking firmly. "We can't return her to the people who destroyed her. But we can't abandon the mission either. We need to find an alternative."

Sasha looked at them with a glimmer of hope in her tear-streaked eyes. Catherine and Thomas exchanged a glance, silently agreeing this situation was far more complicated than it first seemed.

Suddenly, Navigator's voice resonated in their minds, serious yet cautious. "I have an idea, but it requires both of your approval. If you agree, I'm confident it'll resolve the issue quickly."

Catherine raised an eyebrow, exchanging a brief look with Thomas before replying in her mind. "Speak."

Thomas simply nodded, his expression neutral though curiosity flickered in his eyes.

Navigator continued, "We could eliminate every citizen in Lilac who poses a threat to Sasha. That way, she'll be safe, and the mission will still be completed. Those who hate her and her family will no longer be an issue."

Silence fell over them. Catherine and Thomas processed the radical suggestion, their thoughts colliding as they weighed its implications.

Catherine scoffed lightly, her brow furrowed in frustration. "Wiping out an entire town? That sounds like the tantrum of a child breaking a toy they can't fix." She paused, then added coldly, "Though, if absolutely necessary, I'm not a stranger to hard choices for the sake of stability."

Thomas, however, remained composed, though his brow creased slightly. "Navigator," he said, his tone calculated, "that solution directly contradicts the fundamental principles of social stability. Killing an entire population just because they're a potential threat would create greater chaos. Even the harshest tyrants don't destroy the foundations of society without a far greater justification."

Catherine turned to him, smirking faintly, her smile cutting rather than soothing. "You speak of stability, but aren't you a realist? If they are a real threat, removing them is the simplest choice. And remember, I'm not afraid to dirty my hands."

Thomas met her gaze evenly. "There's a difference between 'not afraid' and 'not thinking.' This might seem like a quick fix, but it doesn't solve the root problem. Besides, how do we explain this to other authorities in the region? Are you ready to be known as a cold-blooded tyrant beyond even my expectations?"

Navigator interjected, trying to persuade them again. "But this is about Sasha's safety. Isn't a child's life worth a little sacrifice?"

Catherine chuckled bitterly, her voice dripping with irony. "Navigator, don't lecture me about morality. A child's life is important, yes, but I won't burn down a town for a single life unless there's a much larger stake."

Thomas added, his tone flat yet resolute, "Sasha isn't just about the mission. We need to find a way that doesn't destroy the entire societal structure. That's a solution for animals, not humans."

Catherine sighed, crossing her arms. "So, Navigator, if you have a smarter idea, I'm all ears. Otherwise, I'll handle this my way."

Navigator was silent for a few moments before finally speaking. "Alright. If you reject my plan, I'll help you find an alternative solution. But know this—it may be more complicated."

Catherine and Thomas exchanged glances, both understanding that this journey was far from over. Sasha, who had been listening without fully comprehending their conversation, stood frozen, hugging herself against a fear that refused to fade.

As night fell, Thomas spoke up, his voice breaking the heavy silence. "Let's take her to the mayor of Lilac," he said, his gaze serious as he looked at Sasha. "There, she can receive proper protection. Besides, completing our mission requires her to be in that town."

Catherine regarded Thomas with a faint, piercing smile. "Entrusting her to a mayor? Are you sure a petty official can ensure her safety? If he's incompetent, we'll be the ones paying the price," she said, her voice soft but dripping with skepticism.

Thomas remained unfazed. "A leader is responsible for the stability under their jurisdiction. If the mayor fails to protect her, it's his failure, not ours."

Sasha shook her head, tears threatening to fall. "I don't want to go back to that town. They all hate me," she said, her voice trembling.

Thomas crouched to meet her eye level, his tone firm but gentle. "We'll ensure your safety. This isn't just for you; it's also to complete our mission," he said, extending his hand. "Think of it as a social contract. You come with us, and we guarantee you won't be hurt."

Sasha hesitated but eventually touched his hand. "What's a social contract?" she asked softly.

Catherine sighed quietly, her voice tinged with exasperation. "It's not important. Just come along and don't ask too many questions."

They began their journey toward Lilac. Sasha followed hesitantly, occasionally glancing over her shoulder as if wary of an unseen threat. Catherine walked ahead, her dusty, tattered gown failing to diminish the aura of grace and authority she exuded. Thomas, his expression serious, kept a vigilant eye on both Sasha and the road ahead.

When they arrived at Lilac's gates, the two guards they had encountered earlier immediately stood to attention. Their gazes shifted upon seeing Sasha, their expressions hardening. One raised a spear, its tip aimed at Catherine and Thomas.

"You brought that cursed family's girl back? Are you out of your minds?" one guard shouted.

Thomas raised his hands, trying to calm the situation. "She's just a child who needs protection."

"If you bring her and her family back, the monsters will come for the rest of the townsfolk!" the other guard yelled.

Catherine arched an eyebrow, her eyes narrowing as if calculating her next move. "You dare call me mad? If not for Thomas and me, this town would've been destroyed by goblins from that dungeon," she said coldly, her tone brimming with authority. "Do you want to argue with me, or listen to reason?"

Thomas stepped forward, trying to diffuse the tension. "We're not here to cause trouble. We only wish to speak with the mayor. If he decides, you'll obey him, won't you?"

The guards hesitated, exchanging uneasy glances. Their spears remained raised, but their movements slowed, showing that they were considering his words.

Sasha, standing behind Catherine, hugged herself tightly in fear. Catherine cast her a brief glance before returning her gaze to the guards. "Summon the mayor now," she ordered sharply. "I don't like wasting time on fools too dense to understand what's truly happening."

Thomas sighed softly. The situation might be under control for now, but he knew this was only the beginning of a far more complex ordeal.

***