“Ugh…”

His eyelids felt like lead. His eyelashes fluttered like a bee’s wings, then finally his eyes opened.

“…”

Go Byeonggap surveyed the room with just his eyes. It didn’t take long to get his bearings.

A familiar interior structure. The faint smell of antiseptic. And above all, the IV needle in his arm. This was a hospital.

He started to sit up, then suddenly realized the pain was gone. His last memory was of writhing in agony before blacking out.

“…Thought I was really gonna die, for a second.”

The backlash started the moment his assimilation with the Soul of Trobatin was undone. Endless cycles of passing out and waking up, over and over. Maybe he’d actually died three or four times.

What’s today’s date? Go Byeonggap jerked his head up, looking for a clock or calendar. His phone was on the bedside table.

– December 24th

– 11:26 AM

“What!?”

The fight with the balrog had been on December 20th. Unless his phone was lying, he’d been out for four days.

Pull the IV. Grab the clothes off the hanger — clean and pressed. Change fast. His gaze brushed the window; a huge Christmas tree stood outside.

“It’s already Christmas Eve… This isn’t the time.”

He was worried about the goblins. It’d been over ten days since he’d last visited Asvillam. Those guys would be waiting for him, their necks craned.

He packed his things and opened the hospital room door. Someone was standing there. Jeong Seongyeong, in civilian clothes. She looked up at him with startled eyes.

“You… when did you wake up? No, more importantly — are you okay?”

Her hands roamed over Go Byeonggap’s body, checking for injuries. He brushed them away with a small nod.

“I’m fine, nothing to worry about.”

“Bullshit, you scared the hell out of me back there. I thought you were a goner—how the hell does a guy go from fine to pretzel in a split second?”

The word “pretzel” caught him off guard, and a quiet laugh escaped his lips.

“What about the others on the squad?”

“Those assholes? All safe. Don’t sweat it.”

“Hah. Thank god.”

“That’s on you, kid. If it weren’t for you, we’d all be filming a group shot with the grim reaper right now.”

Jeong Seongyeong’s voice was playful, but her eyes held no lie.

“Expedition wrapped up clean too. Anyway, where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“Where do you think? Home.”

“What—did you lose your mind?! You just woke up, and you’re talking about home? Get your ass back in that bed!”

She shoved him back toward the ward. Against her strength, he didn’t stand a chance.

“Noona, what the hell!? I’m telling you, I’m fine!”

“The hell you are! Yesterday you were coughing up blood and freaking the hell out—and you say ‘fine’? Fine my ass!”

“Look, I know my own body. I’m good, really.”

“What, you think you’re Heo Jun now? You wanna actually die?”

Byeonggap ended up stuck in the hospital for hours more. Under Seongyeong’s relentless pressure, he even went through a full battery of tests.

It wasn’t until the results came back—clean, not a single abnormality—that her intensity finally eased.

“We do recommend you stay a few more days for observation… but if you insist, there’s no medical reason to keep you.”

“See? What’d I tell you? Totally fine.”

“No, wait, Doctor—are you sure he’s really okay? Yesterday he was vomiting blood and losing it. You saw it yourself.”

“Awakeners have fundamentally different constitutions from regular people. Cases like this aren’t unheard of.”

“……”

By the time Byeonggap slipped out of the hospital, it was around four in the afternoon. A soft snow was falling—looked like this Christmas would be a white one after all.

“If you ask me, that quack couldn’t diagnose a hangover.”

“Still on that? And why are you following me out, Noona?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I got discharged ages ago.”

“Don’t you think you should be the one staying longer? You took way worse hits than me.”

“Enough, you little shit. I know my own body best.”

“Unbelievable.”

Byeonggap caught up on the details she filled him in on.

As soon as the first expedition force pulled out, the second squad went in. A celebration banquet for the returning teams was scheduled for next Monday.

And Squad C—the one that took down an S-rank monster—was getting a bonus payout of around 1.5 billion.

“Oh, right. We agreed to keep your involvement under wraps for now. Felt wrong to go blabbing about something that’s not even ours to tell. That’s not to say we’re stealing your credit. If you want to come forward, we’ll all back you up as witnesses.”

“Hmm.”

“That’s what that Bu Yeonggeon guy wanted me to pass on.”

Go Byeonggap scratched his chin. He could feel the rough texture of his unkempt beard under his nails.

“I don’t know why you’ve been hiding your strength, but if word gets out that you took down a balrog solo, big-name guilds are gonna come knocking. You’ve always said you’re scraping by. This is your chance to turn your life around. Or you could join our guild. I can put in a good word.”

“Undermoon?”

“It’s not one of the Top Five, but Undermoon is a solid guild.”

Go Byeonggap thought for a moment, then shook his head. Jeong Seongyeong’s expression said, ‘I figured as much.’

“Keep it secret. I’m best off like this.”

“If that’s what you want, I can’t force you. Since we’re on the subject—what the hell are you, really?”

“What am I? What do you mean? Do I look like a goblin to you instead of a person or something?”

“I mean that weird power and ability you use. I’ve never even heard of anything like that.”

Go Byeonggap snorted a laugh and played it cool.

“My info’s not that easy to get.”

“Tch—you getting cocky?”

“Try a little harder.”

“Try? Ha! Who do you think you’re messing with!”

As they walked, they reached the big public parking lot attached to the hospital. Jeong Seongyeong stopped in front of a high-end SUV that easily cost over 200 million won.

She smirked, her voice low and teasing.

“Get in. I’ll work hard all night for you.”

Go Byeonggap felt something stir inside him. Was this what people meant when they said ‘getting stiff’?

But unfortunately, tonight wasn’t the night.

“I need to go home today.”

“…Why? Tired?”

“Something like that… Anyway, I’ve got things to do at home.”

“Tch. You got a household shrine stashed away there? Or a ghost wife waiting for you, pining away?”

“Sadly, not a ghost wife, but something close.”

“Ha!”

Jeong Seongyeong let out a laugh of utter disbelief.

“This is the biggest humiliation in my 31 years. …Get in, idiot. I’ll drop you off at home.”

“Then I won’t refuse.”

Go Byeonggap hitched a ride in Jeong Seongyeong’s car and headed for home.

“Oh, right. I need to stop by the market.”

“Market? What for?”

“Gotta buy some meat. Drop me off near here. I’ll find my way.”

“Fine. I’ll come with you.”

The two of them found the traditional market near his place. It looked just like any other day.

Go Byeonggap visited his usual butcher shop.

“Wow, it’s been ages since I’ve been to a market like this. Maybe over ten years.”

“Then where do you shop? A mart?”

“Why would I shop? I eat out or order in. Anyway, how much meat are you planning to buy? I’ll cover it.”

“Really? I’m buying a lot. You sure?”

“Hey… how little do you think of me?”

Go Byeonggap figured he’d hit the jackpot and spoke up cheerfully.

“Boss. How much pork belly do you have? About three hundred pounds worth?”

“Th-three hundred pounds?”

“Hey, hold on! Three hundred pounds?! Don’t mess with me!”

Jeong Seongyeong recoiled. The butcher’s owner looked just as incredulous.

“I’m not messing around.”

“Sir… how many people are you planning to feed, exactly?”

“A little over four hundred.”

“Then why not just hit the wholesale market?”

“Four… hundred, you said?”

At the mention of over four hundred people, Jeong Seongyeong’s expression turned dead serious.

“Hey, Byeonggap. You’re not, by any chance—”

“Huh?”

Jeong Seongyeong paused, then smacked her lips with a tsk.

“Never mind. Looks like you’re doing pretty well for yourself.”

She nodded, an expression of dawning understanding on her face. Go Byeonggap had no way of knowing what she’d pieced together.

“Sir, with that many mouths to feed, why not just buy three or four whole pigs?”

“You think so?”

“Yes. It’s cheaper and better quality.”

“Alright, let’s do that. Noona, I’ll cover your meat.”

“Hey, no way. I’m buying. Boss, ring us up.”

Jeong Seongyeong, a complete shift from moments ago, readily pulled out her card. She smiled warmly.

“I don’t know if it’s for kids or old folks, but make sure you tell them I bought it, alright?”

The shop handed over four whole pigs, each wrapped tightly in plastic film. For an ordinary person, just carrying them would be a struggle, but for Go Byeonggap, it was no problem at all.

“Oh my. Your boyfriend is incredibly strong.”

“Right? He’s even stronger at night. Hee hee!”

“Ha ha ha! You’re impossible, ma’am. Well, thanks for your business! Enjoy your meal!”

“Good luck with sales~”

The two stepped out of the butcher shop and headed back to the car. Jeong Seongyeong wore a slightly sour expression.

“Having to load such a hideous thing into my precious baby. Huh? What—what is it?”

Go Byeonggap sent all four pigs straight into Asvillam. It was a cardinal rule not to reveal his ability in front of others, but with Jeong Seongyeong, it didn’t matter. He’d already shown her much more.

Jeong Seongyeong’s jaw dropped in pure awe.

‘So he’s got a spatial-type ability too? Come to think of it, that thing I saw before felt the same. …So there’s another spatial-type besides that bastard.’

“Watching you makes me feel like every scrap of common sense I’ve built up over thirty-one years is just crumbling away.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Before they knew it, they’d arrived in front of his apartment.

Byeonggap barely managed to talk Seongyeong, who insisted on seeing his place, out of it, and they settled on sharing a cigarette together.

“Cheap bastard. Anyway, enjoy it. Make sure you tell them I bought it.”

“Thanks, I will.”

“Yeah. You worked hard, Byeonggap.”

“Uh. You too, Noona.”

“Let’s get the Squad C people together for a drink sometime. Though I doubt big-shot ‘Mister Whoever’ will show up. Heh heh.”

“Sounds good. I’ll definitely be there.”

“Alright. But you just blew your shot. One left.”

“Shot? What shot?”

“Figure it out yourself, genius.”

Jeong Seongyeong left without ever giving him an answer. Go Byeonggap saw her out, then climbed back up to his apartment.

Home after three months. The only thing waiting for him was cold silence.

Byeonggap swept his eyes over the six-pyeong studio. Exactly as he’d left it before the expedition.

“Good to see it, though.”

It was good to see his place, but something else had him excited. He stowed his bags quickly and opened the ‘door’ with a thrill in his chest.

No hesitation. He stepped through.

‘Huh?’

Go Byeonggap was more than a little thrown.

The moment he entered Asvillam, goblins filled his vision. They were everywhere.

Counting heads, it looked like every goblin in Asvillam had gathered. Ea and Doran were there too, of course.

«……What are you all doing? Not working?»

«Sniff!»

«Hic!»

«Wh-what? What’s wrong?»

«Waaah!»

The goblins swarmed him. Byeonggap nearly toppled over.

«Lord dumbass! Why! Come so late!»

«My Lord! Why so. Late have you come?»

«We were so worried!»

«My Lord! Boohoo!»

Longing burst from the goblins on all sides. As their Goblin Lord, Byeonggap could feel every bit of it.

«Lord. Why were you so late? I was worried sick!»

«That’s right! I was so tense I thought something had gone wrong with you. Everyone here was worried about you. We knew you were in a dangerous place.»

«Oh, come on. Sometimes work runs late, that’s all. You guys are so dramatic.»

Doran and Ea joined the chorus of complaints.

In the end, Byeonggap threw up both hands in surrender.

«Okay. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Now give me some space.»

Only then did the goblins release him.

Hefting a whole pig from the floor onto his shoulder, he said,

«You guys haven’t eaten, right? Let’s eat soon. I’m starving.»

«Yes!»

«The Lord! Is hungry! Prepare! The meal!»

That day, a small feast was held in Asvillam to celebrate Lord Go Byeonggap’s return.

Byeonggap sipped beer, ate barbecue, and laughed and chatted while watching the goblins play.

‘Joining a guild and turning my life around would be nice. But I like this better.’

The blazing campfire stirred his emotions. Byeonggap thought: his place was here, after all.