Burglar

"What have I got in my pocket?"

- One of Burglar's enigmatic riddles

Burglar  (忍びの者, Shinobi no mono) also known as Traveler (往還せし者, Ōkan seshi mono), is Goblin Slayer's master and mentor.

Appearance
Burglar is an old rhea with uneven teeth and milky eyes, though this is most likely due to his advanced age. He bears a goat patch and few strands of hair, with three on the sides of his cheeks like whiskers. Like all rheas, he has the racial trait of short height and pointed ears. He dons a scarf with an intricate pattern over a straw cape.

Personality
Burglar acts in a demented and cruel manner, as shown when subjecting a young Goblin Slayer to brutal and harsh training.

Despite his superficial lack of sanity, he rescued the young boy and spent years training Goblin Slayer's mind and body in order to become strong enough to kill goblins on his own. His misconducts aside, Burglar had trained Goblin Slayer without anything in return, demonstrating a capacity for sympathy and kindness.

Background
Burglar first encountered Goblin Slayer after saving the ten year-old boy from being killed by the goblins that destroyed his village. He later trained Goblin Slayer up until they parted ways five years later.

Burglar has ties to the Guild of Rogues, and told Goblin Slayer how to find their locations via marked doorways.

Goblin Slayer Volume 2
In a flashback Goblin Slayer had, Burglar trained him in a dark cave, while also telling him riddles to solve. After his pupil solved several, Burglar questioned him what he had in his pocket, which his pupil was unable to solve.

At some point, the old rhea informed Goblin Slayer he was going on a journey before leaving.

Goblin Slayer Volume 9
Burglar shows up in front of the farm as Cow Girl was doing laundry. He correctly guesses that Goblin Slayer lived here while referring to him as a talentless wonder only capable of taking everything too seriously. After Cow Girl sharply corrects him, Burglar suddenly brings up that an old magician once said the little things matter more than big adventures, and a dwarf said that a beauty she was unaware about was inside her. He then bids Cow Girl farewell before disappearing with the wind.

Abilities
Burglar is a skilled and crafty fighter, relying on any method he can to defeat his enemies and achieve victory.

Equipment

 * Short Sword
 * Platinum Mail

Trivia

 * In the anime credits, Burglar is credited as "Rhea".
 * Burglar's question, "What have I got in my pocket" is identical to a line in The Hobbit, in which Bilbo Baggins asks the same question of Gollum.
 * On the same note, his alias of "Barrel Rider" also makes reference of the same character when he was talking with Smaug in the Lonely Mountain,.