Morning light filtered through the cave entrance, illuminating dust particles dancing in the air. Ethan stretched, his muscles stiff from sleeping on the hard cave floor. Seraphine was already awake, examining the notebook she'd found the previous night, while Nyx sat regally atop the scavenged camping bag, as if it were his throne.
"Morning, your majesty," Ethan said, nodding at Nyx. "Decide what we're having for breakfast yet?"
Nyx merely blinked at him, then resumed his vigil, surveying the forest outside with the intensity of a seasoned scout.
Seraphine smiled faintly. "He's been like that since dawn. Whatever was out there last night has him on high alert."
Ethan checked the Goblin Pro—battery at 95%. "Thirty minutes today," he reminded himself, powering on the stream. The red light blinked steadily, capturing Nyx's judgmental stare.
[Chat]
NyxSavior: the cat is judging them again
CamSurvivor: did they survive the night??
GoblinFan99: check the scavenged items
"Alright, chat," Ethan began, panning the camera across their cave shelter. "We made it through the night. No monster attacks, no supernatural disasters—just Nyx being Nyx."
Seraphine held up the notebook. "We found some interesting things left behind by whoever was here before us. Looks like they abandoned this cave in a hurry."
[Chat]
CaveTreasure: what did they find??
CamSurvivor: please tell us it's food
TechWitch: check for goblin markings
Ethan knelt beside Seraphine, the Goblin Pro's special lens revealing faint energy trails on the scattered belongings. "Let's catalog what we've got."
---
**Scavenged Items Inventory:**
1. **Camping Bag** - A sturdy, weather-worn backpack with multiple compartments. The Goblin Pro revealed faint protective enchantments woven into the fabric.
2. **Small Tent** - A compact, single-person tent that looked surprisingly durable. Nyx had already claimed it as his domain, sitting atop it with an air of feline entitlement.
3. **Cooking Tool Sets** - A small pot, a frying pan, and basic utensils. The pot had faint heat-retention properties visible through the Goblin Pro.
4. **Small Crossbow and Arrows** - A compact crossbow with six arrows. Nyx had been unusually interested in this item, sniffing it carefully before giving it his seal of approval.
5. **A Book** - Titled "The Boss Daughter Needs The Bodyguard," this appeared to be a romance novel of questionable literary merit.
[Chat]
GearCheck: that's actually useful
CamSurvivor: the cat approves of the crossbow??
GoblinFan99: the tent has protective enchantments
Ethan picked up the book, flipping through the pages. "Okay, this might be the highlight of our morning."
He cleared his throat dramatically and began reading in his best "serious narrator" voice:
"'Take me, Master Bodyguard,' she whispered, her delicate hands trembling against his broad chest. 'I need you... to protect me from the dangers of... business mergers.'"
Seraphine covered her face, trying to hide her laughter. "Please stop."
[Chat]
RomanceFail: BRO NO
CamSurvivor: this is the funniest thing all week
NyxSavior: even the cat is laughing
Ethan continued, undeterred: "'Your corporate espionage skills are unmatched,' she breathed, tracing the scar on his jawline. 'But tonight... I need more than just your tactical expertise.'"
Seraphine snatched the book from his hands. "That's enough. I don't need to know what 'tactical expertise' means in this context."
[Chat]
ShippingAlert: they're blushing
CamSurvivor: this is better than the supernatural stuff
GoblinFan99: the book has goblin writing in the margins
Ethan grinned. "What? It's literature. High art."
"High camp, maybe," Seraphine retorted, but she was still smiling as she examined the book more closely. "Actually... there is something interesting here."
She showed Ethan the margins, where faint writing appeared under the Goblin Pro's lens—goblin script that seemed to be annotations about the story.
[Chat]
GoblinScript: what does it say??
CamSurvivor: the book is magical??
TechWitch: it's a goblin teaching tool
"It's not just a romance novel," Seraphine explained. "It's a goblin primer on human courtship rituals. They're using it to study us."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "So goblins are into billionaire romance novels?"
Seraphine shrugged. "They have to start somewhere."
[Chat]
GoblinDating: this is gold
CamSurvivor: the goblins are studying us??
NyxSavior: the cat knew all along
Ethan powered down the stream as the battery hit 88%. "Twenty minutes today," he said to himself, tucking the camera away. "No point in wasting power when we're cataloging scavenged goods."
---
Outside the cave, the morning air was crisp and clean. Ethan spread out the scavenged camping gear on a flat rock while Seraphine examined the crossbow.
"Think this actually works?" Ethan asked, picking up the compact weapon.
Seraphine tested the tension on the string. "It's goblin-crafted. It'll work, but..."
"But what?"
She gestured to the arrows. "Goblin crossbows are designed for goblin strength. For humans, it'll have limited range and accuracy."
Ethan grinned. "Perfect. Let's test it."
He loaded an arrow and took aim at a tree about twenty feet away. With a comical amount of effort, he pulled back the string and released.
The arrow flew... about five feet before dropping to the ground with a pathetic thud.
[Chat]
CrossbowFail: LOL
CamSurvivor: that was the worst shot ever
NyxSavior: even the cat is disappointed
"Okay, that was a warm-up," Ethan insisted, retrieving the arrow. "Let's try again."
The second attempt went slightly better—the arrow actually reached the tree, though it bounced harmlessly off the trunk.
Seraphine shook her head, but she was smiling. "Maybe leave the hunting to Nyx."
As if on cue, Nyx sauntered over with a dead mouse in his mouth, dropping it at Ethan's feet with an air of superiority.
"Thanks, buddy," Ethan said, trying not to gag. "I'll, uh, take notes."
[Chat]
NyxTheHunter: the cat is providing
CamSurvivor: he's better than Ethan
GoblinFan99: the crossbow has hidden properties
---
Setting up the tent proved to be its own comedy of errors. Ethan struggled with the poles while Seraphine tried to guide him from where she sat, her threshold-mark flaring slightly as she moved her injured arm.
"Left a bit... no, your other left..." Seraphine directed, trying not to laugh as Ethan wrestled with the fabric.
"This is harder than it looks," Ethan grunted, nearly collapsing the entire structure.
Seraphine finally stood, wincing slightly, and joined him. "Here, let me show you."
Their hands brushed as they worked together, adjusting the poles and stakes. For a moment, neither of them moved, the air between them charged with something more than just the tension of the tent poles.
[Chat]
ShippingAlert: did they just...??
CamSurvivor: please don't let them get caught
NyxSavior: the cat is watching
Nyx, who had been supervising from a nearby rock, let out a loud yawn that broke the spell.
"Thanks for the support, Nyx," Ethan muttered, his cheeks still warm.
Seraphine smiled faintly. "He's just making sure we don't accidentally set up the tent inside out."
Ethan chuckled. "With my track record, that's a real possibility."
They finished setting up the tent in comfortable silence, the morning sun warming their backs. Nyx claimed the interior immediately, curling up in the center with an air of satisfaction.
"Of course you get the best spot," Ethan said, shaking his head. "You're the one who found the cave."
Nyx merely blinked at him, as if to say, "Obviously."
---
As the afternoon wore on, they tested the cooking tools over a small fire. Ethan attempted to heat water in the pot while Seraphine examined the crossbow more closely.
"The goblin markings here," she said, pointing to faint symbols on the stock, "they're protective enchantments. This crossbow was designed to work against supernatural threats."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "So it might actually be useful against whatever's chasing us?"
"Maybe," Seraphine admitted. "But with your aim..."
"Hey!" Ethan protested. "I'll have you know I was on the archery team in high school."
Seraphine's expression was skeptical. "How long were you on the team?"
"Two weeks," Ethan admitted. "I kept hitting the wrong targets."
[Chat]
ArcheryFail: classic Ethan
CamSurvivor: at least he tries
GoblinFan99: the crossbow needs proper handling
Seraphine tested the crossbow's string again. "It's not about skill. Goblin weapons respond to intent. The more you believe it will work, the better it performs."
Ethan took the crossbow. "So I just need to believe?"
"Essentially," Seraphine confirmed.
He aimed at the same tree and took a deep breath. "I believe. I believe. I believe..."
He released the arrow, which flew straight and true—directly into the tree trunk.
[Chat]
BeliefWorks: YES!
CamSurvivor: he actually did it
NyxSavior: the cat is impressed
Seraphine smiled. "See? It's all about belief."
Ethan grinned. "And here I thought it was all about skill."
"Sometimes," Seraphine said, her threshold-mark pulsing gently, "belief is the most powerful magic of all."
---
As evening approached, they sat by the fire, the scavenged gear organized around them. Ethan powered on the stream one last time—battery at 90%.
"Alright, chat," he began. "We've got our new gear sorted. Tomorrow, we head for the valley. Should take us a day or two to cross."
Seraphine leaned into the frame. "The trail markers suggest it's safe, but with the Algorithm's Shadow on our tail..."
[Chat]
ValleyBound: be careful out there
CamSurvivor: will Nyx protect them??
GoblinFan99: watch for the river crossing
Ethan nodded. "We'll be careful. And Nyx will be on guard duty, obviously."
Nyx, who had been pretending to sleep, opened one eye and gave a dignified nod.
Seraphine checked the Goblin Pro's lens, which revealed faint energy trails leading eastward. "The path is clear for now. We'll leave at first light."
Ethan powered down the stream as the battery hit 85%. "Twenty-five minutes today," he said, tucking the camera away. "Good enough."
As darkness fell, they sat by the fire, the scavenged gear organized around them. Seraphine was examining the notebook again while Ethan attempted to cook a meal with their new tools.
"You know," Seraphine said after a while, "goblin romance novels aren't all bad."
Ethan nearly dropped the cooking spoon. "What?"
She didn't look up from the notebook. "They're actually quite thoughtful. The goblins are trying to understand human relationships. It's... sweet, in a weird way."
Ethan smiled. "What kind of romance stories do you actually like?"
Seraphine considered the question. "The ones where the characters have to work for it. Where the love feels earned, not just handed to them."
Ethan nodded. "I like stories where the hero doesn't have to be perfect. Where he can be scared and still do the right thing."
Seraphine met his gaze, her threshold-mark pulsing gently in the firelight. "Maybe we're living that story."
Nyx, who had been watching them from his spot by the tent, let out a soft purr.