Laughter and whispers continued in the nursing home as Maria kept hiding Pícaro with almost obsessive care. However, her friends' concern grew daily, and their attempts to uncover Maria's secret became increasingly elaborate.

One afternoon, Lucia decided to try her luck by "accidentally" dropping a plate in front of Maria's door, hoping the noise would make her come out suddenly. To her disappointment, Maria simply called from inside, "Are you alright, dear? Be careful with the pieces."

The next day was Jaime's turn. He faked a coughing fit in front of Maria's room, hoping her healer's instinct would make her rush out. But Maria simply passed him a bottle of syrup, opening the door just enough.

Elias, not wanting to be left behind, tried a more direct approach. He knocked on Maria's door and announced, "Maria, quick! New medicinal herbs have arrived from the city!" To his surprise, Maria calmly replied, "How kind, Elias. Leave them in the kitchen, I'll check them later."

The three friends met that night, frustrated and increasingly worried.

"This can't go on," Lucia said, frowning. "Maria has never acted this way. Something must be very wrong."

Jaime nodded, his face wrinkled with concern. "Maybe we should force the situation. Enter her room when she's not there."

"But that would be violating her privacy," Elias protested, though it was clear the idea had crossed his mind too.

After much debate, they decided that Jaime, being closest to Maria, would try to talk to her one last time before taking more drastic measures.

♢♢♢♢

The next morning, Jaime mustered his courage and knocked on Maria's door. "Maria, dear, may I come in? I need to talk to you."

There was a moment of silence, followed by hurried noises inside the room. Finally, the door opened slightly, and Maria's face appeared in the crack.

"Jaime, good morning. What's the matter?" she asked, with a forced smile.

"Maria, we're all very worried about you. You barely leave your room, you hardly talk to us. What's going on?" he inquired, trying to see past Maria into the room.

Maria seemed to hesitate for a moment, her face a mixture of guilt and anxiety. "Jaime, I... it's nothing, really. I've just been tired lately."

But Jaime wasn't going to give up so easily. With a quick movement that surprised even himself, he pushed the door open and entered the room.

What he saw left him breathless.

There, sitting on Maria's bed, was Pícaro. The little goblin looked at him with huge, frightened eyes, clinging to a blanket as if it were a shield.

"By all the magic crystals!" Jaime exclaimed, backing up until he hit the wall. "Maria! That's a... a...!"

"A goblin, yes," Maria finished, quickly closing the door behind them. "Jaime, please, calm down. I can explain."

But Jaime was beyond calm. His eyes went from Maria to the goblin and back, his mouth opening and closing without making a sound.

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"It's a dangerous creature!" he finally managed to say. "We must alert the others! Call the guards!"

"No!" Maria shouted, stepping between Jaime and the door. "Please, Jaime, listen to me. Pícaro isn't dangerous. He saved my life."

"Pícaro?" Jaime repeated, incredulous. "You've named that... thing?"

"Enough, shut up and listen to me!" Maria yelled, grabbing a magic crystal and pointing it at Jaime.

♢♢♢♢

Maria took a deep breath and began to tell her story. She told him about that night in the forest, how she had rescued the little goblin and how he, in turn, had saved her from the brown wolf. She told him about the magical bond that had formed between them, about how Pícaro had helped her heal.

As she spoke, Pícaro slowly approached, his eyes fixed on Jaime. The old man tensed, but to his surprise, the goblin simply extended a small green hand towards him, as if offering a truce.

Jaime looked at Maria, then at the goblin, and back at Maria. His face was a whirlwind of emotions: fear, confusion, but also a hint of curiosity.

"Maria," he finally said, his voice calmer. "This is... incredible. Dangerous, yes, but incredible. Are you sure it's safe?"

Maria smiled, relieved that at least he was willing to listen. "As sure as I can be, Jaime. Pícaro is different. He's special."

Jaime cautiously approached, studying the little goblin. Pícaro, for his part, remained still, allowing the scrutiny.

"Well," Jaime said after a long moment. "I suppose if he's been here all this time without causing trouble..."

Maria felt a weight lift from her shoulders. "So you won't say anything to the others?"

Jaime sighed deeply. "No, not for now. But Maria, you have to understand that this is very risky. If Elias finds out..."

His words were interrupted by a commotion from outside. Screams of terror filled the air, followed by the sound of rocks impacting wood.

Maria and Jaime rushed to the window, with Pícaro jumping on the bed to get a better view. What they saw chilled their blood.

A group of goblins, at least a dozen, was attacking the nursing home. They were bigger and fiercer than Pícaro, their eyes gleaming with a malice that the little goblin had never shown. They approached while throwing rocks.

"Oh, no!" Maria exclaimed, her face pale with horror. "We have to do something!"

Jaime looked at her, then at Pícaro, and back at the chaotic scene outside. "Maria, do you think your little friend has anything to do with this?"

Maria shook her head vehemently. "No, impossible. Pícaro has been with me the whole time. Besides, look at his face. He's as scared as we are."

It was true. Pícaro was watching the scene with a mixture of fear and confusion, clinging to Maria's leg like a frightened child.

"We have to help the others," Maria said, her voice full of determination. "Jaime, go and gather everyone you can in the common room. It's the safest place."

"And what will you do?" Jaime asked, already moving towards the door.

Maria looked at Pícaro and took her last 5 crystals, an idea forming in her mind. "I'm going to try something crazy. But first, I need you to trust me, Jaime. And to trust Pícaro."

Jaime hesitated for a moment, looking at the little goblin. Finally, he nodded. "Alright, Maria. I trust you. But be careful."

As Jaime hurriedly left the room, Maria knelt in front of Pícaro. "Little one, I know this is scary, but I need your help. Do you think you could communicate with them? Make them understand that we don't want to fight?"

Pícaro looked at Maria, then at the window where the goblins could still be seen attacking. He squeaked softly, as if considering the idea.

"I know it's asking a lot," Maria continued, gently stroking Pícaro's head. "But you're special, Pícaro. You have a gift. Maybe you can reach them in a way we can't."

The little goblin looked at Maria once more, his eyes filled with a determination the old woman had never seen before. He nodded once, decided.

"Alright," Maria said, standing up. "Let's save our home."

Together, Maria and Pícaro left the room, heading towards the chaos that reigned in the nursing home. The fate of the home, and perhaps the entire village, now depended on this unlikely pair. And Maria was determined to prove that compassion and understanding could triumph even in the most desperate circumstances.