The word “unfathomable” fit the location perfectly. A building stood where it wouldn’t be visible at all on a cloudy day.

Too far to make out details, but even so, he could vaguely tell those were walls and spires.

‘How far was it supposed to be to the horizon? About five klicks, wasn’t it?’

A memory surfaced from a science journal he’d once read. And if it was five kilometers—not fifty—that was close enough to walk.

«Let’s go.»

«You intend to have a look around, my Lord?»

Dorma pitched his voice low with concern. Go Byeonggap cinched his pack’s buckle tight as he answered.

«Something wrong?»

«I fear danger may await us, My Lord.»

«Danger, huh.»

Well, from the moment they’d crossed that wall they’d been exposed to every kind of risk anyway.

And more than that, a fierce curiosity had kindled in him. A civilization, no less? Maybe he’d even get to meet the natives here.

«Nothing gained without taking a risk.»

«That is true, but—»

«Don’t worry about it. The worst we’ll run into is Grugle. And if it gets too hairy, we just pull back.»

«Mm. Understood.»

«Lord, are we heading there?»

«That’s right. Good eyes, Doran.»

«Hehe!»

«Let’s move.»

Go Byeonggap’s party set their legs toward the distant buildings.

‘Ea had told me once—she’d never seen any living thing besides spirits and Grugle. So maybe that place is where the spirits gather?’

He couldn’t imagine anything else. It sure as hell wasn’t a Grugle city.

And if it was a spirit city, that wasn’t bad either.

‘Those spirit bastards can talk too. Maybe I can build a good relationship with them. And if there’s a city there, maybe the soil’s decent enough.’

Of course, there was no guarantee the spirits would welcome him with open arms. They might be as xenophobic as Heungseon Daewongun.

Still, it was fine. Go Byeonggap was confident he could sweet-talk them into his corner.

So he ran with a light heart for a few dozen minutes.

His happy fantasy of forging the first alliance between New Asvillam and a spirit kingdom came crashing down in pieces.

«My Lord, what is this?»

«…Ah. Ruins.»

What greeted them were ruins.

Once, it might have been a majestic civilization, but now only traces remained.

Half-collapsed walls, buildings reduced to foundations.

Only a single soaring spire still held its shape—that must have been what they’d seen from afar.

‘Can’t feel a single presence, let alone a spirit.’

No movement of life anywhere.

‘The ground’s the same story.’

They’d traveled a fair distance, but the wasteland never changed. Maybe the whole continent was like this.

«Sniff sniff? Lord, I smell water nearby.»

«Water? Where?»

«That way.»

Doran took the lead and dashed off. Circling the wide wall to the opposite side, they found a river.

It must have been a major river once—at least as wide as the Han River back home.

But now it was seven-tenths dry. Only the traces of where water had once flowed remained along its edges.

«It seems there is nothing in this vicinity after all.»

Dorma murmured, gazing at the collapsed castle.

«Seems so. Turned into wasteland — everyone must’ve packed up and left.»

«Quite a contrast with Somnium.»

Now that he thought about it, it was strange. Wasn’t Somnium premium land? Clear rivers, lush forests—the place practically thrummed with life.

And yet, the moment they’d come down from the mountain, they’d walked straight into this barren stretch.

‘Maybe the mist was guarding the forest after all.’

Go Byeonggap swallowed his unease and turned toward the ruined castle.

«Let’s head in.»

«Yes.»

«Okay!»

They scaled the crumbled wall. Even in ruin, it was damned tall.

Once at the top, they peered inside — and Go Byeonggap, along with the Todo Goblins, let out an impressed whistle.

«Whoa… seeing it from up high makes it feel completely different. I had no idea it was this wide.»

«No kidding. Has to be at least ten times the size of Somnium.»

«Lord, will you build our new home this big too?»

«Well… not sure we can pull off something that vast.»

With that, he hopped down. The two goblins followed right on his heels.

«Stay sharp — there might be Grugle around.»

«Yes!»

«Understood.»

Go Byeonggap and his party began scouring the ruins.

* * *

«Lord, what was this place for?»

«Whoa, looks like a bathhouse? There’s a water channel next to it, too.»

Two hours had slipped by since they’d started exploring. Truth be told, it felt less like a reconnaissance and more like sightseeing through an ancient site.

Judging by the weathering, it had to be centuries old. For something from such a distant age, the level of civilization was impressive.

What’s more, the city looked meticulously planned — each district had its own unmistakable character and purpose. Looking at this place made everything they’d built in Somnium feel like child’s play.

The more Go Byeonggap saw, the more the ruins grew on him.

«Let’s settle here.»

He dropped the decision over a late lunch.

«…Huh?»

Dorma, who’d been turning an instant meal packet over in his hands, curious, dropped his jaw.

«We set up base here. Sure, it’s a bit battered, but far from unusable. The canals and roads just need a little patching up to be functional, and plenty of the buildings are still intact. The wall’s a problem, but… eh, we’ll figure it out.»

«I’m all for it! I like it here too!»

Doran raised her hand high in agreement.

Byeonggap nodded and continued.

«There’s a river running alongside, and it’s close to Somnium. …Honestly, I was hesitant to just lead the kids out into the middle of nowhere. But this should make a solid enough home. What do you think?»

«If that is my Lord’s decision, I am bound to follow — though one thing concerns me.»

«What is it?»

«As you can see, this place is too barren. Are you planning to farm here? Raise livestock?»

«It’s fine. I’ve got something in mind.»

Go Byeonggap set the paper bowl on the ground for a moment and called up the Ancient Shop. With a few taps of his finger, he purchased one item.

It was the elixir of Growth—so familiar now it almost felt endearing.

He twisted open the cap and took a sip first. Dorma and Doran watched with expressions that clearly said, ‘What the hell is that guy doing?’

«You two want a sip?»

«…I’m fine, sir.»

«Me too. It tastes bad, anyway.»

«It’s sweet enough to drink.»

Go Byeonggap shrugged to himself and took another gulp. Then, when roughly twenty milliliters were left, he poured the precious elixir onto the ground.

«Wha—what are you doing…?»

«Just watch.»

The soil drank the elixir with astonishing speed, like a bone-dry sponge sucking up water.

And a moment later, the near-ash soil took on an odd, ochre tinge.

Go Byeonggap grabbed a fistful of earth. The powder-dry feel was gone — instead, moist, coarse grains pressed against his palm.

On a whim, he brought it to his nose and inhaled.

«Ugh… Lord, what are you doing? Why the dirt on your face?»

«Now this actually feels like soil.»

He showed his palm as he spoke.

«The elixir can heal the land. Think of it as hyper-concentrated fertilizer.»

He already knew the elixir of Growth’s power firsthand.

It turned chickens into ostriches, sweet potatoes into pumpkins.

It felt wasteful to pour it into the ground — but with this, the wasteland could be transformed into fertile soil.

«As expected, the Lord has thought of everything. So you’ve decided on this place?»

«Yeah, let’s settle here. Taming the land’ll take time, but it beats banging our heads against bare dirt.»

Dorma nodded with a contented smile.

«Lord, so we’re going back to Somnium now?»

«Let’s look around a bit more. The sun won’t set for a while yet.»

They finished their quick meal and resumed exploring the ruins.

Go Byeonggap kept turning over ideas for how to use this vast territory.

‘This building’s usable. A little repair work and it’ll be fine. …That one—wasteful as it is, I’ll have to tear it down.’

And so they wandered for another hour or so, until they had circled the entire city.

Go Byeonggap’s party stopped before the last building, the one nestled deepest within the city.

«This is… a castle. No, would it be more fitting to call it a temple?»

«Whoa, it’s huge! Lord, let’s go inside now!»

«Sure, let’s head in.»

A majestic building held aloft by dozens of pillars. Each pillar alone must have been seven or eight meters tall.

Though half-collapsed, its imposing grandeur had not diminished in the slightest.

With their hearts pounding, they stepped into the building. And before anyone could say a word, gasps of awe escaped them.

«Whoa!»

«Whoo…»

«This is truly remarkable.»

Sunlight streamed through the broken gaps, so there was no need to light their lanterns.

The cool interior was breathtakingly beautiful.

Long stone benches lined the floor in rows, and at the center stood a large dais. It felt like looking at a church sanctuary.

The windows were all done in mosaic style. When the multicolored light shone through, it created the effect of a rainbow appearing inside the building.

Besides that, there were countless hallways, rooms of unknown purpose, and stairs climbing up to the second and third floors.

Go Byeonggap turned his head ceaselessly, like a child visiting a museum for the first time. It was almost foolish.

«Lord! Lord, you should live here!»

Doran, who had been running around the interior like a child, said. Go Byeonggap let out a short, dry laugh.

«Hey, if I lived here, I’d get lost trying to go to the bathroom at night. And this isn’t a residential building to begin with.»

«But it suits you, Lord.»

«What’s so great about it being big? It only makes cleaning a pain in the ass.»

«Oh, really…? Then can I live here?»

«No. I told you, it’s not for living in. …Well, Ea would probably flip her lid if she saw this.»

Go Byeonggap answered playfully as he meticulously scanned the building.

‘This wall is completely gone.’

One side of the wall had completely crumbled. The passage connecting to the rear was also blocked because of it.

It was an unremarkable sight, but just as he was about to move past it, something caught his eye.

‘Hm?’

He pulled the lantern from his belt and shone it ahead. The area that had been shadowed by the rubble was now brightly revealed.

A large fragment of debris. On the rock, probably once part of the original wall, a picture was drawn. A mural of sorts.

It depicted several nude women. Other parts had broken off, but one female figure remained intact.

Go Byeonggap stared at the image as if spellbound. Not because the nude woman felt provocative. But because the woman in the picture was so familiar.

«…Doran.»

«Yes? Did you call?»

«Come… come here.»

Go Byeonggap called Doran in a trembling voice. She ran over in one breath and stood beside him.

«What is it, Lord?»

«Go stand in front of that painting.»

«Painting?»

Only then did Doran notice the mural. She furrowed her brow slightly but obediently did as Lord commanded.

«Like this?»

‘My god.’

Go Byeonggap clamped a hand over his mouth.

The woman sketched on the wall debris was unmistakably a female goblin. Pointed ears, fine black hair, bronze skin. No matter how you looked at it, she had too much in common with Doran. So much it raised goosebumps.

Byeonggap snapped his head up and swept his gaze across his surroundings.

‘Is this Asvillam!? The old ruins of Asvillam?’

The thought that everything he’d seen so far was a remnant of Asvillam sent a chill down his spine.

And then it happened.

‘…!?’

A sinister presence prickled at his back—a ripple of karma and internal energy. The pulse of power was massive.

Doran felt it too. In a flash, she drew her sword and fixed her glare on the source of the surging energy.

Byeonggap and Doran’s gazes converged on Dorma.

Dorma, staring at the stone statue on the dais as if entranced. Black energy rose from him like smoke.

«Madmut…»

He muttered like a man lost to the world.

And before anyone could stop him, he began to rampage.