36. Goblin’s Sorrow

Three days had passed since the Spirit Ea came to Ashvilam. Ko Byeong-gap and several of the Goblins that received his orders closely watched Ea’s every move. In order to take immediate action if there was even the slightest possibility of danger.

However.

“Goblins, eat! Ea has prepared a delicious lunch for you!”

Ea quickly melted into Ashvilam with her unique affinity and adaptability.

“Everyone, pause your work. Eat. Let’s go!”

“Lick lick! Let’s eat!”

The head of the workforce, Gobung, suspended the morning work. The Goblins in the Crystal Cave neatly arranged their equipment and came out.

“Ah. Today. Food. What?”

“Today’s lunch is rice soup!”

“Rice soup? What is it?”

“That’s what your Lord told me. It’s a dish with soup. I like warm soup. I hope it suits your taste.”

“Smell. Delicious.”

“Fufu. go quickly.”

Ea jumped and led the Goblins. Ko Byeong-gap smoked from a distance and looked at her.

“She’s working fine.”

A pavilion made under a tree. Ko Byeong-gap sat there and enjoyed a peaceful weekend.

‘I don’t see anything suspicious. What can she do on her own?’

Ea did a good job of doing her part. Of course, she couldn’t afford all the meals of more than 300 Goblins by herself. So he assigned about ten workers to help her.

Then, she eagerly prepared meals, cleaned up, and cleaned the Goblins’ quarters.

As a result, their work efficiency automatically increased.

‘Ancient Shop.’

[Ancient Shop]

-Construction

-Techniques

– Miscellaneous Goods

-Others

[Crystals on Hand: 527,148]

‘We’ve already reached half a million.’

The results of their mining increased significantly in recent days. They easily exceeded 40,000 a day, and sometimes they even reached 50,000 crystals.

It was possible because Ea had been in charge of the chores.

Cuckoo!

From the back came the roaring cry of the chickens. Ko Byeong-gap looked back with a smile.

The chickens were gathered in a broad fence.

‘That little Goblin. He managed to build a chicken coop.’

Fifty chickens. No, 49 chickens ran around in the wooden fence.

Honestly, with their jumping ability, they would be able to easily cross that fence. However, the chickens did not run out of the place because they liked it very much. Even if they came outside, they just often drank water and went back to their place.

‘Anyways, they’re all roosters. We’ll need a hen to borrow eggs and see babies. How many hens do I have to buy at the market?’

Ko Byeong-gap crouched down in front of the fence and smoked a cigarette. The chickens shot at him with a look of intense irritation.

“Ah, what are you looking at? Have you never seen a man smoke before?”

“……”

“Look at those eyes. Are you sure you’re a chicken? Not a hawk?”

Cuckoo!

‘If I put a few hens here, would it be worth it? How can those tender creatures take care of you all?’

He shrugged his shoulders and got up.

Ko Byeong-gap soon moved to the Goblin’s camp.

He saw a long line in front of the cauldron. The Goblins were being served with a bowl of soup in their hands.

“Enjoy your meal. I, Ea, worked hard to make it!”

“Thanks!”

“You’re welcome. Come eat more if you need more. I have very big hands.”

“Your hands are small.”

“I mean, I’ve made plenty of them.”

The Normal Goblin tilted his head back.

The next one was Kiriyan.

Ea kept spitting out the same words, not getting tired.

“Enjoy your meal!”

“You’re not going to eat?”

“Oh, of course, I’ll eat. After giving it all to you.”

Kiriyan pondered on something. Then, he left the line without receiving his meal.

“I’ll get it later. Let’s eat together.”

“Uh… Yeah! Alright, it’s fun to eat with someone. I like to sit around and eat. I’m glad that you asked me to eat with you.”

“I’m Kiriyan.”

“Oh, you have a name? That’s cool. I’m Ea.”

She had a short chat with Kiriyan. Kiriyan walked out with an empty bowl.

“Hey, isn’t this supposed to make me angry?”

Ko Byeong-gap watched the scene with his arms crossed, and then snapped his fingers.

“Kiriyan, come here.”

“Hmm? Oh yes! Did you call, Lord sir?”

Kiriyan rushed toward him. Ko Byeong-gap stared at Kiriyan, smacking his lips.

Kiriyan, who received his gaze, looked like he didn’t know what to say.

“Kiriyan.”

“Yes? Please tell me.”

“Do you like Ea?”

“Huh, what do you mean?”

Kiriyan asked back in bewilderment. Ko Byeong-gap calmed him down by waving his hand.

“No, I don’t mean to criticize you. I’m just asking, frankly, man-to-man. Do you like Ea?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you mean.”

“It doesn’t mean much. Do you like Ea as a woman? When you stand in front of her, your heart beats, you sweat, and you want to look good?”

Kiriyan tilted his head and took his hand to his heart. Subsequently, he wiped his forehead and then glanced at Ea.

“Well, I don’t know. I don’t think so. I like the Lord the best. After you, the people of the race as I am. They are good. And that Spirit is the third.”

“But why did you ask her to eat with you?”

“Is that what you meant?”

Kiriyan hesitated.

“……I actually felt a little sorry for the spirit.”

“What do you mean, sorry?”

“I heard it from Dorma. I heard that the Spirit Ea said that all of her people that lived with her had died, and now she’s a loner. It reminded me of the old days.”

“Old days?”

“Yes, I’ve been alone in a place without my own kind.”

“Ah, right. You were.”

Ko Byeong-gap was reminded of the first time he met Kiriyan. Kiriyan was with the Thunder Wolves in a crack where there were no Goblins.

He was with animals that couldn’t communicate.

“That’s why I felt sorry for her. I’m sorry!!”

Kiriyan suddenly shook his head. Ko Byeong-gap asked, perplexed.

“Hey, raise your head. What are you sorry about all of a sudden?”

“Lord ordered me to keep an eye on that Spirit. Come to think of it, it was against the Lord’s command to have such a heart. Please punish me!”

“Oh my gosh… I didn’t mean it like that.”

Ko Byeong-gap scratched the back of his head. Then, he patted Kiriyan on the shoulder.

“That’s enough, dude. What kind of punishment would I do? I told you before. I’m not trying to blame you.”

“I… Really?”

“Yes, and you can stop spying on Ea. There doesn’t seem to be anything suspicious about her.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Please take good care of Ea from now on. We are one family now.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Ko Byeong-gap sent Kiriyan away.

‘That’s weird. How could he have such a sound mind?’

He sighed quietly.

He stood silently for a few seconds, then glanced around to find Dorma. Soon after, he found Dorma and tried to approach him, but suddenly, a random Goblin who was eating greeted him.

“Lord. Did you eat?”

“Ah. You should say, ‘Did you eat well?’ like that.”

“Did you eat well, Lord?”

The Normal Goblin even copied Ko Byeong-gap’s tone.

“You’re good. Do that from now on.”

“Yes. Okay.”

“…..”

Ko Byeong-gap shook his head.

“No, just do it as you normally do. I expect too much from you guys—”

“Oh, Lord. Have you eaten yet?”

“Uh, Gobung Gobung Gobung.”

Gobung was greeted with an empty bowl.

“Did you finish eating? Or are you going to eat now?”

“After eating one bowl. To eat more. Let’s go!”

“Oh. Does it suit your taste?”

“Yes! It’s so delicious.”

“Right! Delicious!”

“I. Soup. Good!”

Even the Goblins nearby exclaimed that it was delicious. Ko Byeong-gap was so happy that he smiled.

‘Of course. It’s the best food in the world.’

For Ko Byeong-gap, gukbap, or rice soup, had a different meaning.

In his early days as a hunter. He had no money, and he was hungry. He didn’t even have money to buy a potion and ate three meals a day with ramen.

His only way to heal was to eat 5,000 won worth of cheap gukbap at a 24-hour rice soup restaurant in front of his house.

One could say that they were just eating rice with soup, but that was the case back then.

He wanted to convey the taste to the Goblins as well. Of course, what Ea cooked was not a proper rice soup.

Dissolve beef bone extract, which costs less than 10,000 won per kg, in water.

Cut some chives and cabbages that were sold at the market.

But all they did was cut the chunks of monster meat and season it with salt. So it was more like meat soup than rice soup.

But he was happy that Goblins enjoyed it.

“Eat a lot. I’ll let you have a full stomach of rice soup.”

“Yes!”

Ko Byeong-gap passed the Goblins and approached Dorma. Dorma was sitting alone in a quiet place, eating.

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

“No, thanks. I just ate.”

“Is that so?”

“Dorma, I have a question.”

“Yes, ask me anything. I’ll tell you everything I know.”

“It’s nothing much…”

Ko Byeong-gap was speechless.

Could he say this? To a kid who was eating?

It was an embarrassing subject to talk about.

He coughed a few times before bringing it up.

“What are you guys…? Don’t you have a rut?”

“Huh? A rut?”

“I’m sure you guys have sex too. You want to do it, don’t you?”

“Do what? What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on. You know. That thing!!”

“Are you talking about sexual intercourse?”

“Yes, that!”

Ko Byeong-gap’s face was burning. To be honest, he had a hangover.

He spewed out his words awkwardly.

“See, I was looking at the chicken coop today, and I suddenly thought of that. Put a hen between those feisty roosters. Do you think hens can stand their mettle? But the same applies to Ashvilam. Oh, of course, that doesn’t mean you’re like chickens, so don’t be offended.”

Dorma nodded as if he understood.

“I wouldn’t feel bad at all if the Lord ordered me to go to bed. So you don’t have to make us feel better.”

“Come on, what are you so disappointed about? Anyway. There’s a lot of you. If I leave a female Goblin here, she’ll be so tired, right?”

“Are you willing to buy a Female Goblin?”

“Oh, that’s right. I was thinking about going out of the fog as soon as we collected the money, but I thought it would be better to postpone it.”

“I see.”

Dorma was lost in thought for a moment with his spoon and chopsticks. Ko Byeong-gap calmly waited for Dorma to open his mouth.

“Well, in my opinion, the situation that the Lord is worried about will not happen.”

“Why?”

“We are eunuchs, so to speak.”

“……”

Ko Byeong-gap gulped down his saliva.

Dorma laughed bitterly and continued.

“I’m sure you know about the unfortunate history of the Goblins.”

“I know, you told me.”

“Yes, we were born by magic. The same goes for the ancestors and the ancestors of the ancestors. Goblins have existed in such an unusual way for centuries.”

“…..”

“Muscles that are not used tend to shrink. It’s the same context. For us, things for reproduction. Sexual desire, for example, disappeared naturally.”

Ko Byeong-gap opened his mouth without realizing it.

“Oh no, don’t tell me that underneath….”

“No. It runs fine with no problems. However, I don’t know if it works physiologically or not.”

Dorma was calm. On the contrary, Ko Byeong-gap became solemn.

He felt like he needed to say something comforting.

‘Let’s not do that. What’s the point of turning the house upside down?’

He soon gave up. ‘Hey, it’s okay! I’ve never done it either!’ It was useless to say such things.

Dorma added a few words after slurping down the rice soup.

“Well, as a matter of fact. Even if we don’t have a functional disability, you don’t have to worry about that. Lord just needs to say, ‘Don’t do it’.”

“That’s too harsh.”

“Huhu, Lord seems to be a true saint.”

Ko Byeong-gap also knew because he was in the military. Control of needs was too harsh.

Of course, it was only animals that released their desires at will. Also, in order to manage a group, it was right to control their desires to a certain extent.

But that didn’t mean to block the assholes of those who wanted to shit.

“Anyway, I hope the Lord will do as he pleases.”

“You think so?”

“Yes. To be honest, I’d like to see what a Female Goblin looks like.”

“Hmmm.”

Ko Byeong-gap was lost in thought for a moment.

The time he spent thinking was not long. A short time later, he clapped his hands and said.

“Okay. Let’s hold a big event in Ashvilam.”