«C-calm down! Don’t do this! Oh, what do we do!»

Ea stamped her feet helplessly. The goblins, by contrast, just stood there with vacant stares.

«Kh-khack!»

Merilin struggled to free her trapped neck. Sadly, she was no match for Byeonggap’s brutish grip.

«Don’t take my words as a joke.»

«Ah… I underst… pfft!»

Go Byeonggap released his hand. Merilin slid down the wall in a crumpled heap.

Her face was a mask of every negative emotion imaginable.

Go Byeonggap gently picked Tiny up from the floor, asking softly.

«You alright?»

«Ah… yeah. I’m fine. I just fell.»

«The hell, kid. Your lower body’s so weak a light push sends you toppling. Look at you — soaking wet. You’re like a damn piece of seaweed.»

«Uuwee…»

The normal goblin pouted its lips. Go Byeonggap smirked and turned his head.

«Sabungi.»

«Yes, yessir! Speak, My Lord!»

«Come here. Lend me an ear.»

He called Sabungi close. When the fellow got near, he whispered into its ear.

«Go fetch Dorma and Doran.»

«Ah, understood!»

Sabungi rushed out. He then addressed the rest.

«All of you, head back. It’s late.»

«Yessir! May the Lord rest well too!»

The goblins followed the order without a word. Only Ea lingered anxiously.

«You’re sure you’re okay? I’m a bit worried.»

«It’s fine. I’m alright, so go back and get some sleep.»

«Really?»

«I said so.»

«…Alright. I’ll trust you and go back. I do hope you resolve this with words.»

He sent the onlookers all away. The moment they left, his expression turned icy again.

Go Byeonggap sighed and turned around. Merilin was still slumped on the floor, her eyes hollow.

«You just gonna sit there? Come have a seat, won’t you?»

«Ah… yes. I will.»

Both her voice and spirit had deflated. She quietly obeyed, and Go Byeonggap sat back down on his chair.

Silence stretched for a while. Given the commotion he’d caused, the heavy atmosphere was only natural. He felt like he’d started this whole affair on the wrong foot.

«I apologize for earlier. I suppose I got a little worked up. But I am their Lord, and I only did what was necessary. I hope you won’t take it too hard.»

«No, my Lord… When I think about it, I suppose I didn’t act rightly either. But still…»

Merilin’s mouth worked wordlessly. Even that small gesture spoke plainly of a turmoil she couldn’t shake.

«But it’s all so confusing. I… everything here feels so foreign, so hard to accept. I miss my own kin… my own kind.»

One sharp poke and she would have burst into tears.

Her saying she missed her own kind also meant she couldn’t acknowledge the goblins as such.

Truth be told, he could understand her state of mind.

Merilin and Doran were clearly different cases.

‘Doran was a blank slate from the start.’

When Doran had first appeared, she had been pure white. Knowing nothing, there was nothing to throw her into confusion.

But Merilin was different. She had clearly known something. And so she felt the dissonance between her old knowledge and the new information.

‘So Merilin really is an ancient being, isn’t she?’

It was hard to accept at face value, but it seemed that way. Even the ice room she had been sleeping in had given off that kind of vibe.

‘If she really is an ancient being, no wonder she’s losing it. It’d be like waking up to find your descendants turned into monkeys.’

Go Byeonggap pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He took one out but didn’t put it in his mouth—just fidgeted with it.

«Just wait a bit longer. The one you want will be here soon.»

«R-really? A kinsman is coming?»

Merilin snapped her head up.

«Yeah, I sent for one. Should be here anytime now.»

Her face lit up. Merilin stared at the door, brimming with excitement.

‘Good thing Doran’s here.’

Seeing Doran should help her calm down. By the way, Doran had been on duty at the western gate today.

If he’d known it would come to this, he would have called for her from the start. Go Byeonggap smacked his lips bitterly.

Thus passed a few awkward minutes. Finally, the door opened and someone entered.

Merilin rose to her feet, anticipation spilling over her face.

But she promptly slumped.

«My Lord, I heard you summoned me.»

It was Dorma who had entered. He flinched in surprise at the sight of Merilin.

«Oh-ho, that woman has awakened.»

«W-wait a moment! This… this isn’t the kinsman I was looking for! This thing is…!»

«Lord! I’m here!»

«Ah!»

Doran followed right behind Dorma. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, her hair a mess. She must have come running the moment she got the summons.

«Hm? That woman’s awake. You called me for that?»

«Well, two birds with one stone. Come here, both of you, and sit.»

«Yes!»

«Understood.»

Doran, contrary to expectation, showed no particular warmth.

Merilin’s reaction, on the other hand, was dramatic. Her arms trembling, she let out a deflating sound.

«Ah… Aah……»

«What’s wrong with her?»

«Hooong-heung!»

«Eung!?»

Merilin suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Doran. She was crying like a child, rubbing her tear-and-snot-streaked face against Doran’s.

Naturally, Doran was horrified.

«Wh-what, have you lost your mind! You’re getting me dirty! Get off!»

«Hwaaaang! Doran! Doraaaan! You’re alive! You’re alive! Hoo-heung-eoong!»

«What nonsense is that? Of course I’m alive, what, was I dead? Ah, I said stop rubbing!»

‘What the—!?’

Go Byeonggap was startled when Merilin cried out Doran’s name. He hadn’t introduced her yet—how did she know the name? And what did she mean by ‘alive’?

«You want to die for real? Back off, you idiot!»

«A-yat!»

Doran made a disgusted face and roughly shoved Merilin away. Pushed back, Merilin wore an expression more shocked than ever before.

«Do… Doran? Why? Why are you rejecting me?»

«Ah, so annoying! You got it all over me! Do you even know me? When did we ever meet, to be acting like you do? You absolute nutjob!»

Doran furiously rubbed her face with her sleeve.

«Lord! She’s clearly gone mad! Can’t you just send her to Somnium?»

‘‘What, is Somnium some kind of bin for trash?’’

There was a lot he wanted to ask, but first he needed to cool the overheated atmosphere. Go Byeonggap skillfully calmed the two goblins.

«Both of you, calm down. Calm down and take your seats.»

«Doran? Do you not recognize me? No, that’s impossible. You can’t not know me!»

«What nonsense is this? I’ve never seen someone like you before!»

«Merilin! Doran! Both of you be quiet. Don’t open your mouths until I give permission.»

«……»

When Go Byeonggap laid down the law, the two women had no choice but to fall silent.

After much hardship, everyone was finally seated.

Dorma seemed bewildered by the whole situation; Doran was pouting, and Merilin sagged like wilted spinach.

Go Byeonggap, at the center of it all, began his explanation.

«Alright, then. Merilin, let’s start with who you are.»

* * *

«I am the vice-commander of the 89th Mandala Knight Order and the seventh concubine of Emperor Landriol.»

Merilin began her story in a plaintive voice. First came her own personal history.

In ancient Asvillam, there existed a military force called the ‘Mandala.’ They were the elite guards who protected the queen consort, and their combat prowess was on a different level from that of ordinary soldiers.

Merilin hadn’t just been any member — she’d been the Vice-Commander. Her skill and striking beauty had earned her a place among the Emperor’s wives. Even if only as a concubine.

Her origin story was astonishing enough, but the truly shocking revelations were yet to come.

«Doran was my beloved disciple. She never became a full knight, but she was a promising candidate. …Doran, truly you don’t recognize me?»

She looked at Doran with distant, yearning eyes. The three listeners reacted in unison, horror striking them as if on cue.

«I was your disciple? What nonsense is that? I don’t know you. I saw you for the first time today!»

«Doran, hold on. Hey, Merilin. Are you sure? This isn’t a mistake?»

«Absolutely not. If it were anyone else, maybe — but Doran? I could never fail to recognize her!»

She denied it with absolute conviction.

«Your parents, Elli and Herta, served under me. But war after war finally claimed their lives. They always said it like a mantra — if they died, to take care of you.»

«My parents? I-I’m…»

«I watched you from the time you were a newborn. I even named you Doran. And I raised you as a knight, just as Elli and Herta wished.»

Doran’s face twisted in turmoil. Of course. Her entire origin story, one she never knew, was spilling out bit by bit.

«You called me your godmother and followed me faithfully. I thought of you as my own daughter. I wanted to adopt you formally, but… I was bound to become the Emperor’s concubine. I couldn’t. That… that always weighed on me… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.»

«Don’t be ridiculous! I don’t know you! I don’t!»

«Doran, sit down.»

Doran shot up, her face red. Go Byeonggap spoke to her in a low, calming tone.

«Merilin, Doran’s memories aren’t intact right now.»

«Not intact? You mean she’s lost her memory?»

«Something like that.»

«Ah… Aah…»

Merilin was crestfallen.

But Go Byeonggap, coldly practical, had no room to sympathize with her grief. His mind was tangled with other matters.

‘Is Doran a contemporary of Merilin? Then what about the other goblins in the Ancient Shop?’

Looking back, the oddities weren’t few. Starting with when he’d bought the female goblin from the Ancient Shop.

He’d had to choose one name from among many, hadn’t he?

At the time, he’d thought nothing of it. Just figured they were like product codes.

But what if they were past spirits ‘mounted’ in the Ancient Shop?

«Merilin.»

«Yes.»

«Do you know anything about the Ancient Shop?»

«The… Ancient Shop?»

She frowned, sinking into thought. After a moment, she slowly shook her head.

«I don’t know. I’ve never heard of such a thing.»

«Hmm… Fine. Let’s set that aside for now. Keep talking.»

«Understood.»

She began to speak of the war. The same content she’d read from the stone tablet.

«It was about three months after we felled Alsharon, the Seventh Divine Warrior. The sky split open, and—»

«Stop! That’s enough of that story.»

Go Byeonggap cut her off quickly, stealing a glance at Dorma.

Dorma listened with keen interest, no sign of the frenzy stirring. Still, the unease clung to Byeonggap like a second skin.

«Enough about war. Tell me why you were in that place.»

«…As you wish. The war ended, somehow. But a great curse fell upon us.»

«You mean the women vanishing.»

Her eyes widened.

«You know. Yes. The women disappeared.»

«Now that I think about it, that’s strange. From what I heard, every last woman vanished. How did you survive?»

«I don’t know the exact reason myself. But…»

She continued.

«After the Queen vanished, His Majesty grew unstable—body and soul. He wouldn’t leave the palace a single step, wouldn’t speak a word to anyone.»

«You said you were Landriol’s wife, didn’t you? He wouldn’t even talk to you?»

«I was only one of seven concubines. His Majesty never gave much affection to any wife but the Queen.»

«That must have been lonely.»

«No… it’s unworthy of someone like me to feel lonely.»

She said the words, but the air around her told a different story.

«Go on.»

«Yes.»

The story continued.

After the Queen disappeared, Landriol refused food and drink, turning into a recluse who holed up in solitude.

Months passed without him even seeing sunlight—until one day, he burst out of the palace.

«I don’t know what His Majesty was thinking then. But he called me to him and carved this into my body.»

She paused, then slipped off her top. Her sensuous body stood bare, not a thread on it.

But no lust stirred. What was etched into her skin was nothing short of grotesque.

Doran and Dorma stared, eyes wide.

«Whoa… what in the world is that…»

«Disgusting.»

Tattoos packed her upper body. It was unmistakably a map.

«His Majesty told me this: one day, a man with the same foundation as him—a man possessing the Emperor’s spirit—would awaken me. And then…»

She turned, showing her back. She pointed a finger at the dead center of her spine.

«He commanded me to guide that man to this place. To the sacred capital of Asvillam—Verbonia.»

«Verbonia!»

«Ah, you scared me! What’s wrong, Dorma?»

«S-sorry. The name’s so familiar it slipped out before I could stop it.»

Dorma answered with an embarrassed scratch of his head.

Merilin paused a beat, then continued.

«…At the time, I couldn’t fathom His intent. But now I see—He was preparing for exactly this situation.»

She spoke with a note of resignation, then pulled her robes back on. Go Byeonggap stroked his chin for a long while, wrestling with the thought, before asking.

«So what’s in this place, Verbonia?»

«I don’t know myself. His Majesty said only that we must go there to revive Asvillam.»

«Hmph. Reviving Asvillam, he says.»

«He summoned every court sorcerer and cast a spell upon me. My memory cuts off after that. I’m not sure, but that spell is probably why I’m still here.»

‘Using his own concubine as a living map and guide,’ Go Byeonggap clicked his tongue in disgust. ‘That Landriol bastard wasn’t right in the head.’

Just then, Merilin, who had finished straightening her clothes, interjected with a blunt question.

«I’ve told you everything I know. Now it’s my turn to hear.»

«Huh? Hear what?»

«What truly happened to Asvillam—and to us Saraon!»