“Starting to get sick of this.”

Instant-ready combat ration, Type II.

A taste that makes you wonder what’s left once you take away the salt. He remembered eating this stuff with some enjoyment during the Northern expedition, but trying to eat it again now? Absolutely not it.

His tongue felt coated and stale. Go Byeonggap chugged down a gulp of water. In that same instant, his right arm blurred and unleashed a lightning-fast thrust.

“Kuhak!”

A Grugle shaped like a sunfish split cleanly down the middle. Worried about gore splattering, Go Byeonggap jerked his food hand away.

“Uuuuugh…”

“Auuk, auuuk…”

“What? You want some too?”

Two more of the bastards. They flailed their arms, legs, and other body parts too awkward to name, charging at him.

They seemed far more interested in Go Byeonggap’s actual body than in his preserved rations.

“Goddamn things—won’t even let a man eat in peace.”

He moved like the wind. Two slashes landed almost simultaneously. The Grugles, running side by side, split apart helplessly and died.

He shoveled the rest of his food into his mouth in one go. He had no appetite, but he had to force it down anyway.

He tossed the empty paper plate aside without a second thought, then leaped. Landing atop the shattered spire, he scanned the surroundings.

For the first three days, the terrain had been mountainous and basin-like, but now it had given way to a vast, sprawling plain.

He put a cigarette in his mouth and watched the setting sun. Tonight, too, he planned to drive through till dawn. According to the stone tablet he’d brought from Kim Hana’s house, the destination wasn’t far off. At most, he’d arrive within a week.

The closer he got to Baltadren, the more he thought of his subordinates.

“Are they thinking of me too?”

He didn’t know. But he hoped they were.

A short rest done, he climbed back into the car and sped off. 150 kilometers per hour, 160. The needle on the speedometer climbed sharply.

Go Byeonggap was in a hurry. He wanted to get back to where he belonged.

* * *

«Cease work! Rally to me!»

Patra barked in a sharp voice. The goblins filling the cave froze mid-motion and turned to look at the source of the sound.

«Rally up, quickly. I need a headcount.»

She left those words hanging and spun on her heel, walking out.

The goblins stood dumbfounded for a moment, then gathered their gear. A few sprinted deeper into the caves to pass the assembly order to their kin.

Gobungi was among them. He passed through several tunnels and ducked into a small chamber. Half a dozen goblins were swinging their picks with vacant stares.

One among them looked different from the rest.

She turned slightly and asked.

«Hey, dummy. What’s up?»

«They say the work’s done. Everyone’s to assemble.»

«Tch! Took them long enough. Let’s go, idiots.»

It was Doran. She led the workers out of the tunnel.

The number of goblins crammed near the exit was staggering—a chaotic swarm that rivaled a bustling market.

Somnium hadn’t always been like this. Its population had barely scraped five hundred back then. Three hundred and fifty of them worked the caves; the remaining hundred and fifty handled other tasks.

But since the new Lord appeared, Somnium had been choking on overpopulation. Now, over eight hundred laborers toiled in the caves alone.

«Auhhhh…»

On his way out, Gobungi spotted one of his kin.

A normal goblin, hunched in a corner of the cave, groaning. Gobungi’s eyes went wide and he scrambled over, panting.

«What’s wrong?»

«Auhhh… My head hurts so much…»

«Your head?»

Gobungi examined the normal goblin’s head. No visible injury.

He mulled it over for a moment, then hoisted Tiny onto his back.

«Probably from all that dust you breathed in. Some fresh air will help.»

Watching from nearby, Doran ground her teeth.

«Damn it! Cram us into the cave at sunrise and work us till the moon comes up—no wonder our heads hurt!»

Back in the old days, the goblins working in the mines took regular breaks. Every so often, they had to come outside and breathe fresh air, soak in the sunlight. Because Go Byeonggap had insisted on it.

But not anymore. Now they spent fifteen hours or more out of twenty-four cooped up in that cave.

«Doran, don’t get mad……»

«Aren’t you angry? That’s why you’re all idiots!»

Her fists trembled.

The tremor of rage didn’t last long before it shifted into one of grief. She muttered in a hollow voice.

«I miss the Lord……»

«Shh, shh!»

Gobungi quickly glanced around. Luckily, not a single ‘overseer’ was in sight.

«D-Doran. We can’t talk about the Lord. We’ll get beaten like last time. And the Lord is……»

«Shut up! Say one more word and see what happens!»

«S-sorry. I want to see him too. But didn’t Dorma tell you?»

«Don’t you dare say that bastard’s name in front of me.»

«What are you all doing?! Get out here, now!»

A sharp, shrill shout erupted from the cave entrance. Gobungi answered in a hurry.

«W-we’re coming right now!»

«Tch! A bunch of nothing goblins, yapping like they own the place.»

«Doran, let’s go. Quick.»

Gobungi grabbed Doran’s arm and pulled her out of the cave. Outside, the goblins drafted for the work detail were lined up in rows for inspection.

They quickly fell into line too.

The five overseers counted heads.

Among them, a woman with striking red hair—Naiad—shouted out.

«Injured! Anyone injured? If so, step forward!»

At her command, a few goblins shuffled forward. The normal goblin who had been carried out on Gobungi’s back went along too.

The overseers each took one to examine their condition.

«That’s enough. Circulate your energy on your own for now. Next!»

«What? A headache? Sleep it off. Next!»

«Crushed by a boulder? Let me see… Hmph. You—go wait over there.»

But only two or three out of every ten received actual treatment.

Once the head count was finished, the goblins filed away under the overseers’ direction for a late dinner. After swinging pickaxes all day, their meal was boiled potatoes.

The same menu for two weeks straight. All the meat had been moved to Baltadren—on the grounds that there wasn’t enough to feed the ones in combat training.

The goblins no longer ate noisily as they once had. They just chewed and swallowed their potatoes with grim focus, filling empty bellies.

At least the portions were generous. They were always given enough to stuff themselves sick.

«Doran, so you were here. And Mr. Gobung too.»

A pale-faced woman approached Doran’s table. It was Ea.

Doran glanced at Ea and let out a small sigh. Then she pushed the potato she’d been peeling toward her.

«Eat.»

«No, no, it’s fine. I can just peel my own.»

«Just eat this.»

«…Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.»

Ea’s hands were a wreck. She’d been pulled into fieldwork and kitchen duty all day long.

The problem was the fieldwork. Because they lacked farming equipment, she had to dig the furrows with her bare hands. Her fingernails had all peeled off.

Sad to say, the saraon didn’t show much consideration for Ea, a spirit.

«How was work today?»

«Nothing special.»

«What kind of question is that? It was shit, obviously.»

Gobungi and Doran spoke at the same time. Ea gave an embarrassed smile at their conflicting answers.

«What about you, Ea? You looked really worn out again today.»

«I’m fine. I’m used to it now, so it doesn’t feel that hard. Didn’t you know? I’m pretty adaptable.»

«Aish, you idiot, you idiot.»

Doran clucked her tongue.

«Ea, you’re a real idiot. The biggest idiot I’ve ever seen.»

«Oh my, why would you think that, Doran?»

«Do you have to ask? If I were you, I’d have run away already!»

«Ah… hehe.»

«You think now’s a time to laugh?»

Doran’s face went serious. Ea, wearing a wistful smile, chewed on her potato before answering.

«Where do I have to go? Even if I ran, I’d just get eaten by a Grugle. And you, Doran, why are you still here? When you hate it so much.»

«I—I’m…»

She couldn’t answer easily. Too many reasons were tangled up inside her.

Among them was something she desperately wanted to deny: the birth that had designed her to obey the king.

Put simply, it meant she was here because Landriol had commanded, ‘You, stay in the cave and mine crystals.’

But Doran frantically denied it. She hypnotized herself into believing she stayed because she was worried about the idiot goblins.

«I—I’m waiting.»

«Waiting for what?»

«For the Lord. For Lord Byeonggap to return.»

Ea blinked her large eyes. Gobungi quickly checked on the overseers.

Ea lowered her voice.

«Doran… don’t say that name. If you get caught again, you’ll get beaten black and blue like last time.»

«Right, Doran. That green-haired woman is itching to tear you apart. So be careful.»

«Let her try. Who’s afraid?»

«Doran…»

Truth be told, Ea missed Go Byeonggap too. Not just her—most of the goblins longed for him.

But he was dead. Dorma, who had left with him for the capital, testified to it. Some strange man had appeared claiming to be the new Lord, leaving them little choice but to believe.

‘Did you… really die?’

Ea’s eyes grew sorrowful. For the first time in an age, she felt tears threatening to spill.

* * *

A day in Somnium begins at the earliest hour.

Goblins snatch a few boiled potatoes the moment they open their eyes, then head into the caves. They won’t see the blue sky again until lunchtime.

Come noon, they gather on the field before the cave mouth for a meager meal. Sitting carelessly on the ground, peeling potatoes with grimy hands, the dirt stains them black. Yet no goblin complained.

«These damn potatoes, potatoes! Why are you always giving us potatoes?»

Doran nearly hurled her potato. Then a voice called to her from behind.

«Doran.»

«…What?»

It was Eola, the highest-ranking overseer among them. She was also the star of Gobungi’s description: ‘The woman who’s dying to sink her teeth into Doran.’

«His Majesty has sent word. He orders your return to Baltadren.»

«Return to Baltadren? Is that what you’re saying?»

«Indeed. As soon as you finish your meal, prepare to—»

«No. I’m not going.»

Doran whip-turned her head, dismissing Eola outright. The blunt defiance sent veins bulging on Eola’s forehead.

«That is not for you to decide. His Majesty has commanded it.»

«I said no. What would I even do there — brawl every single day?»

«Are you defying the royal command right now?»

«Ah, I don’t care about all that. Just tell him I’m not going, period.»

«Ha! You’ve truly lost your mind.»

«Whether I’m crazy or not is none of your business.»

Grumbling, she picked up a potato. In the next instant, a knife skewered it. Eola’s doing.

Doran’s eyes snapped open, sharp and deadly.

«You… just aimed a blade at me?»

«If you are a subject of the Emperor, act accordingly. As His Majesty’s loyal servant, I will no longer tolerate your insolent attitude.»

«Ha! This is exactly why I hate you lot. The moment you open your mouths, it’s Emperor, Emperor, Emperor!»

Doran grabbed a fresh potato. Then she spoke with a sneer.

«Brainwashed dolls, that’s what you are.»

«What? How dare you say such a thing!»

Eola lunged, grabbing Doran by the throat. Doran’s brow twitched.

«So you started it?»

As if she’d been waiting for it, Doran twisted Eola’s arm and slammed her to the ground. Once on top, she delivered a savage slap across her cheek.

«Eeek!»

«Don’t get cocky! Do you think I sit still because I’m scared of you lot? Even if all five of you came at me at once, you couldn’t touch a single hair on my head!»

«Yi──!» her voice cut through the air like a whip.

Eola’s glare locked onto Doran. She knew the girl was right, and the truth stung.

Fresh from their emergence into this world, they were still weak. Landriol’s power had restored their old memories, but not the skill that once came with them.

But a battle of tongues and authority was another matter entirely.

«Meal’s over!»

Eola’s sudden shout froze the goblins mid-bite, their hands hovering over potatoes.

«Lunch is finished! Everyone back to the caves!»

«Wh-what?»

«No lunch and no dinner today!»

«You’re out of your damned mind! What right do you have to tell us when to eat? That’s a blatant overstep of your authority!»

«Authority?»

Eola snorted.

«The Emperor entrusted me with full management of the mine. Here, my word is the Emperor’s word! What are you waiting for? Get back to the caves now! Are you defying the Emperor’s command?»

Her roar sent a ripple through the goblins; they shuffled uneasily, rising to their feet. Doran panicked and tried to stop them, but it was useless.

«Idiots! Just eat! Keep eating!»

«Urrrgh…»

«Doran… we have to listen. Sorry.»

«Hey! Rescind that order right now! You can’t make them work without feeding them first!»

«Hmph. I’d love to, but the Emperor’s ordered us to speed up crystal mining. Can’t be helped.»

Eola’s reply was a taunt.

Doran’s gaze flickered, hopeless, between them and her. Her eyes trembled with a pathetic plea.

«Ah… fine. I’ll go to Baltadren. I’ll go! You hear me?»

«Hmph. That’s about right.»

«Then what the hell do you want from me?»

«Kneel.»

«What?»

«You’ve deeply offended me. Kneel and apologize.»

Shame flickered across Doran’s face—then vanished. She obeyed, sinking to her knees.

«I was wrong. So please, let them eat. You have to feed them.»

Eola brushed the dirt from her clothes, then, without warning, struck Doran across the cheek.

A roar of fury erupted from her.

«How dare you call us brainwashed puppets? You stupid bitch! You, whose mind is such a jumbled mess that even the memories I tried to awaken are gone—how dare you say that to my face!»

«Kkeuh…»

«Did you think I was scared of you all this time? If it weren’t for the Mistress, you’d have lost your head long ago!»

Eola kicked Doran. Doran bit her lip, chewing down the rage as she swallowed it whole.

She could take those feather-light fists all day. But the goblins going hungry because of her—that she couldn’t bear.

«This won’t do. Before I send you back to Baltadren, I need to reforge your rotten beliefs first.»

Eola drew the scabbard from her belt and held it in her hand. She raised it above her head and swung it down hard.

But the blow never landed on Doran. Someone had caught the scabbard mid-swing and stopped it cold.

«…?»

The air over Somnium froze solid in an instant.

The cause was a single man’s oppressive killing intent pouring off him like a tide.

“I don’t know your face… so why are you grabbing at a kid like that?”