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n41. Ashvilam is Still at Peace

n“Hold it there, Gobung.”

n“You mean here? Okay.”

n“That’s right.”

nKo Byeong-gap joined forces with Gobung to build a fence. It shouldn’t be made roughly. He had to make it high and dense so that the roosters wouldn’t dare jump over it.

n“Lord, but why? Why are you making a new one?”

n“Huh?”

n“The fence I made. It’s wide enough.”

nIt was as he said. The fence built by Gobung was spacious enough to accommodate about 150 chickens.

n“Maybe. The fence I made. Don’t you like it?”

n“Hey, it’s not like that. You can’t leave a hen and a rooster together. That’s why I’m making one more.”

n“Why? Do you mean?”

nKo Byeong-gap took a moment to rest. He wondered how to explain the rooster’s rut to Gobung, who was a eunuch.

n“The males bully the females. If we leave them together, all the kids we’ve been trying to bring in might die.”

n“Why? Between the same people. Do they fight?”

n“It’s not a fight… Anyway, there is something like that.”

nGobung only tilted his head but didn’t care anymore. He hit the support and nailed the planks. The gaps in the middle were closed with wire. The sun had already set. The fence, which had only a skeleton, gradually took shape.

nIt wasn’t until it was completely dark in Ashvilam that the work was done. Ko Byeong-gap and Gobung wiped the sweat from their foreheads and looked at the finished product.

n“What do you think? It’s pretty plausible, isn’t it?”

n“More than making it by myself. It’s much cooler!”

n“Thanks to you. If I were alone, I wouldn’t have made this much.”

n“Hehe…”

nThe fence was quite complete. It would be easy to manage the chickens by making a door for opening and closing. They were to put all the hens in there, and only two or three roosters would be added in.

n‘Now, Ashvilam can eat fertilized eggs.’

nHe was excited to think of adding egg dishes to the Goblins’ diet.

n‘Is this the pleasure of serving, or is it something else?’

n“Have your meal!” Ea’s voice came from afar.

n“Well done. Let’s go eat, Gobung.”

n“Yes, Lord. Thank you for your hard work.”

n“Okay.”

nThe two headed for the campsite. The Goblins, who had finished their work, were already seated.

nThat day’s dinner menu was grilled monster meat. It had been the same meal for the past few days.

n“Have you eaten yet, Lord? Let’s eat together.”

n“Uh, Dorma. I’m going to cook ramen. Go ahead and eat. I’ll be there.”

n“I see.”

nKo Byeong-gap took a portable gas burner, bottled water, and a bag of ramen from his private tent and went to Dorma.

nDorma always enjoyed eating alone in a quiet place.

n“Why are you eating alone when we meet? Let’s eat with the kids… Are you being bullied by any chance?”

n“Hahaha. It’s not like that.”

nDorma grinned as he ate the cut meat. He looked widely at the eating Goblins, and then a smile crept around his mouth.

n“I like looking at my own kind from such a distance. You can’t catch those children at a glance when you’re close.”

n“You sound like an old man.”

n“I’m actually quite old.”

n“Come to think of it, Dorma.”

n“Yes, go ahead.”

n“You know, Doran…”

nKo Byeong-gap paused to light the gas stove. After several attempts, the gas caught fire, and he resumed speaking. “What do you think?”

n“What do I think?”

n“I was wondering if there was anything that came to your mind when you looked at her.”

n“Huh. I don’t know.”

nDorma ruffled his long-grown hair and was lost in thought.

n“When I see Doran, I just feel amazing. To tell you the truth, it’s hard to realize that she’s a Goblin like us.”

n“I was thinking about that part.”

n“What is?”

n“Isn’t Doran’s face the true face of the Goblins?”

nDorma blinked his eyes and said he wasn’t sure. Ko Byeong-gap couldn’t resist and said, “Do you know what a true Goblin looks like?”

n“I don’t know. I remember only the appearance of my ancestors vaguely.”

n“What did you think of your ancestors?”

n“They weren’t much different from us.”

nKo Byeong-gap nodded, agreeing, and said, “I think my guess is right. Didn’t you say Ashvilam was destroyed a long time ago? The female Goblins died out before Ashvilam was destroyed.”

n“That’s right.”

n“You said it before. Dozens of generations turned out in unusual ways. If you go straight up the stream…”

nHe mumbled and looked around. Soon, Doran caught Ko Byeong-gap’s sight. He chinked to Doran’s side and said, “Wouldn’t there be a lot of you all looking like that?”

n“…”

nDorma forgot to speak for a moment. His expression was subtle. He seemed to be smiling, but he was sad.

n“That’s both happy and sad at the same time.”

n“Sad?”

n“It must be a good thing that our roots were in such a beautiful shape, but I can never go back to being that person again.”

n“Hmm…”

nKo Byeong-gap thought about whether to bring up the ‘Seeds of Enlightenment.’ He soon decided not to since it was unclear whether the seeds would return the Goblin to their original form, and it was too early to do so.

n“Don’t worry too much. There’s a way.”

n“Then it would be perfect.”

n“Oh, by the way, I have another question.”

n“Anything.”

nKo Byeong-gap couldn’t easily bring it up since the topic he wanted to talk about was extremely sensitive material.

nHe intended to ask about ‘God.’

n‘What if he suffers a seizure like before?’

nKo Byeong-gap once asked Kiriyan about God before Dorma came to Ashvilam. And that day, instead of answering, he was met with a lightning bolt that shook all over the place.

nIf Dorma went on a rampage, several people could be hurt. So he hesitated.

n“Lord?” After Ko Byeong-gap stayed silent for a long time, Dorma called him.

nKo Byeong-gap came to his senses and said, “Well, I mean, by any chance… Do you know anything about God?”

n“What do you mean by God…?”

n“Oh, you must’ve had a faith or religion.”

n“Hmm…”

n“For example, if you did something wrong to God, and you were faced by his wrath. Can you recall anything?”

nDorma was lost in thought with a look he couldn’t decipher. He forgot to eat and started to mutter something.

n“God… God… Anger. To incur the wrath of God?” Dorma muttered the word ‘God’ repeatedly. It was at that moment…

nKo Byeong-gap sensed a threat in his skin. Dorma’s body trembled and burst with formidable strength. It was the same as the last time with Kiriyan.

n‘This!’

n‘Ma… Ma… Mad! Mad… mad!”

nDorma’s eyes turned upside down. Bubbles foamed out of his mouth, and a black aura of darkness rose from his whole body.

nIt was a harbinger of chaos.

n“Mad! Mad!”

n“Hey! Hey!’

nKo Byeong-gap quickly hit Dorma’s chin. Dorma’s head turned about 90 degrees before he passed out. The rising dark energy quickly calmed down.

nHe spilled the ramen he was boiling since he was in a hurry to get up. Ko Byeong-gap sighed deeply while he looked at Dorma and the ramen alternately.

n‘I’m going crazy.’

nHe made a resolution. He would never ask a Goblin about God again.

n***

nThe next day dawned.

nThe appearance of the street hadn’t changed much. Soldiers and heavy equipment embroidered the roadside, and the citizens flocked to the grocery stores to buy food.

nKo Byeong-gap glanced out of the window on his way home from a subjugation. The front of the mart was crowded like a flake market.

nHe clicked his tongue and said, “They’re still like this.”

nKo Byeong-gap’s daily life hadn’t changed much since the Monster Wave.

nHe had to make money, whether there was a Monster Wave or not. That way, he could pay for his mother’s hospital bills and pay off his debts.

n‘Anyway, why aren’t the rewards being released?’

nAfter the Monster Wave.

nThe government promised to pay rewards to hunters who suffered during the disaster. However, it was only a few pennies, and it didn’t mean that they would refuse to give it to them. So he stopped by the association and went through a cumbersome proof process before he was eligible for the reward.

nSix days later, however, the news was still to be awaited.

n‘I didn’t expect much in the first place.’

nKo Byeong-gap tried to go straight home but changed his mind and turned the steering wheel.

nHe stopped by the market. Unlike marts, the market was quiet. Few people were selling, few people buying.

n‘But it’s still open. I should have come sooner or later.’

nFortunately, the vegetable shop that he often went to was also open.

n“How have you been? How’s the business?”

n“Oh, don’t even say it. It looks like we’re all going to fail.”

nThe vegetable shopkeeper held on to Ko Byeong-gap and bleated. They said that customers stopped visiting after the Monster Wave. Ko Byeong-gap thought he should buy some.

nSo he bought a lot of vegetables. Chives, cabbages, bean sprouts, etc. Even though he bought enough to fill the back seat, it was cheap.

nHe bought an armful of vegetables and came back home. He went straight to Ashvilam.

nAs always, the Goblins were in full swing with their work. Ko Byeong-gap didn’t mean to disturb them since there was work to be done.

nHe went to the campsite in the meantime.

n“Hmm? Oh, hi, Lord.”

nDoran greeted him cheerfully. She scribbled on the dirt by herself. When Ko Byeong-gap arrived, she wiped it off with her feet.

nKo Byeong-gap looked around and asked, “Why are you alone? What about Ea?”

n“Ea went to the river. She said she had a lot of dirt on her, so she had to go wash.”

n“Really? Here, take this.”

n“What is this? Huh? Is it grass?”

nDoran sniffed at the vegetables.

n“Tell her about me when she comes. She’ll know what to do with it if you tell her I gave it.”

n“Yes, I will.”

n“Okay. Good luck with work.”

n“Ah Lord, wait a minute!”

nDoran rushed and stood in front of Ko Byeong-gap. Ko Byeong-gap tilted his head slightly.

n“Yes?”

n“Hey, what do you like, Lord?”

n“What are you talking about out of the blue?”

n“Just answer me. What does the Lord like?”

nKo Byeong-gap slightly furrowed his eyebrows. Had she eaten something wrong?

nHe replied with confusion, “I like money. Why?”

n“Money? What’s that?”

n“What do you know?”

n“Ah, don’t ask, just explain!”

n“Did you eat something wrong?”

nDoran grumbled. Ko Byeong-gap felt a wonderful feeling. He eventually explained the concept of money one by one. Doran was so smart that she understood everything he said.

n“How can I get money?”

n“You won’t get it even if I tell you.”

n“What? Why, why?”

n“Why do you look like you lost your country? There’s no place for you to make money.”

n“That’s…” Doran groaned and avoided his gaze.

nSeconds later, she lifted her head and spat out her words. “Well, not money, but what other things does the Lord like—”

n“Oh, you’re here? You always show up without a sound.”

nSuddenly, Ea walked out of the forest. After she took a bath, water dripped from her long hair. It looked like she even had seaweed on her face.

n‘I’m gonna have to get some towels.’

n“I bought some vegetables. Cook with that today.”

n“Wow, really? Oh, really!”

nEa smiled broadly while she looked at the bag full of vegetables. Suddenly, she asked in a worried tone.

n“Didn’t you do too much to get this? I told you before, I don’t want to burden you.”

n“It’s fine because I didn’t do anything unreasonable.”

n“Then I’m happy. By the way, weren’t you talking to Doran? Did I disturb you?”

n“Not really. Anyway, work hard.”

nKo Byeong-gap left with those words. There was a lot of work to be done, so Doran looked at Ko Byeong-gap’s back with a vain look. Eventually, she opened her eyes and looked at Ea.

n“Ah!”

n“Oh my God!”

nEa flinched. She stroked her chest with surprised eyes.

n“Why are you yelling all of a sudden, Doran? I was surprised. I’m easily surprised. One day, I was surprised to see fallen leaves.”

n“Why are you suddenly interrupting? I didn’t get to hear what Lord liked because of you!”

n“Oh, you must have asked your Lord, didn’t you? What did he say?”

n“Well, I didn’t hear it because of you.”

n“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. Why don’t you go ask now? Or do you want me to ask for you?”

n“That’s enough, you idiot!”

nDoran groaned and returned to her original seat. She then began to scribble on the floor with somewhat violent movements.

nEa smiled softly at Doran.

n***

nGugugu.

nWhite-feathered hens pecked proudly at the feed. Ko Byeong-gap watched the scene with a pleased look on his face.

n‘The growth potion is truly something.’

nThe chicks grew up overnight. Not one in 100 animals died and became an adult.

nThey were smaller than the roosters, but no other chickens could compare.

n‘Shall I add some roosters now? No. Let’s give them a few days to adjust because they might be surprised.’

nKo Byeong-gap looked at the henhouse for a while and turned around. He headed to the field. Two Normal Goblins were watering the plants.

nPotatoes and sweet potatoes that had been planted sprouted. There was also a huge rubber basin near the garden. The water sprayed on the field was taken from that basin.

n‘They raised chickens. They can grow potatoes and sweet potatoes, right? Why didn’t I think of this?’

nKo Byeong-gap poured two bottles of growth potion into the rubber basin. He had a hunch that something good would happen.

n‘Let’s get to work now.’

nIt was time to get to work. He headed towards the back of the warehouse where the alchemy devices were located.

nHe carried a lot of trees and lined them up in the unit.

nHe went back and forth a couple of times, and then he heard a voice next to him.

n“What are you going to do with that many trees?”

nIt was Ea and Doran. They had their eyes wide open and observed Ko Byeong-gap.

nKo Byeong-gap replied in a dreary voice, “Why aren’t you two cooking?”

n“It’s too early to prepare dinner yet. I was taking a break.”

n“Lord, what are you doing?”

nDoran asked in a curious voice. Ko Byeong-gap replied by putting wood in the property container of the combustion unit.

n“I’m going to make weapons for training.”

n