Chapter 18.1

Chapter 18.1

“Why not? That would be more convenient.”

“Going to the market is a hobby Seok-kyung quite enjoys. Even if you try to stop him, he won’t listen.”

Is going to the market part of his ‘ritual’ to feel alive?

Ara briefly thought of Seok-kyung’s indifferent face, then waved her hand to clear the distracting thoughts. This wasn’t the time to calmly understand his situation.

“Seol-do, I’m being pursued by loan sharks. What if I get caught by them while we’re out at the market?”

“You’re worried for nothing. With the goblin king beside you, what’s there to worry about?”

“But Seok-kyung might abandon me.”

If it’s that troublesome goblin, he might very well do that. Ara shivered involuntarily, imagining the worst.

“Na Ara.”

Seol-do called her name and extended her hand, seeming to signal her to take it and stand up.

Ara took Seol-do’s hand and stood up. Due to their height difference, her gaze tilted slightly towards him. “You still don’t know our king very well.”

Seol-do spoke with the certainty of someone who had no doubt. Her voice held no room for hesitation.

“Or maybe, just as he doesn’t know you, you don’t know him either. It’s only natural, after all. How much can you know someone after just two days?” Seol-do urged, “So go with him. Some things can only be understood by experiencing it firsthand.”

Seol-do patted Ara’s shoulder as if she were her older sister.

“Plus, you didn’t bring much with you, did you? While you’re at it, buy some underwear, pajamas, and casual clothes. Just buy everything you need.”

Seol-do pulled a stack of yellow bills from her training suit pocket and shoved them into Ara’s hand.

“This much is more than I need.” Startled by the amount of money, Ara looked at Seol-do, who shrugged as if to say, “Is that all?”

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to get ready? Do you want to go out looking like a drunk beggar?”

***

An hour later.

Seok-kyung stood in the sunny courtyard, waiting for Ara.

Initially, he had planned to go alone. When Seol-do told him to go to the market with Ara instead, Seok-kyung had flatly refused, saying it was nonsense.

“Why? Are you scared to go out without me? Or is it that you’re scared to be with Na Ara?” But Seol-do’s cunning trap of prodding was too crafty.

Scared? Me? Let’s get real. What reason could a thousand-year-old goblin have to fear a fragile human woman?

“Then go together. After all, there are only two people in this house who know how to cook. It’s better to have two pairs of eyes on the ingredients.”

Even though he knew it was a childish stubbornness, Seok-kyung couldn’t defeat Seol-do’s insistence. Or rather, he didn’t.

From Seok-kyung’s perspective, it was simply a matter of conceding a minor point due to annoyance. Seol-do was still a young goblin by seniority, but stubborn and immensely strong.

Seok-kyung clicked his tongue and stomped on the innocent grass, feeling a flush of heat rise from his chest, perhaps due to the stifling breeze.

Why is she taking so long? She said she’d be out soon.

Seok-kyung clicked his tongue inwardly, just as the front door opened. Ara hurriedly tied up her slightly damp hair and ran out.

“Even a caterpillar would be faster than you.” Again, that mischievous mouth of his.

Despite the usual scolding, Ara found herself inadvertently feeling relieved.

“I’m sorry. Is everything okay now? Let’s go.”

Ara snapped back and turned her head sharply. Just as she took exactly three steps toward the distant iron gate, Seok-kyung’s voice came from behind her.

“Where are you going?” A puzzled voice came from over her shoulder.

“Where else would we go? We’re heading to the market.” Ara pointed at the door.

“But why are you going that way? That door leads to the labyrinth, and going through it will take you straight to the abandoned neighborhood of Soyasan.”

“Exactly. The market is at the base of the mountain, right? We need to get out of here first.”

Tsk. Seok-kyung instantly adopted a haughty expression and clicked his tongue.

“Hey, Na Ara.”

“What?”

“You weren’t planning to walk down the mountain, were you?”

“Then how are we supposed to get there?”

Seok-kyung’s lips curled into an elegant smirk as he slowly raised his right hand.

Snap.

As the crisp sound of his finger snap echoed through the courtyard, the scenery behind Seok-kyung slowly unraveled.

Ara stared in disbelief at the scene before her.

She thought she was adapting to this strange world, only to realize how arrogant that thought had been.

“Wow.” Ara gasped in awe without even realizing it.

What appeared behind Seok-kyung was a kind of entrance. A large, round passage with a bluish glow outlining its edges.

Ara looked at the entrance, which resembled what one might call a portal in games. Beyond it, a completely different view from the goblin house’s yard was visible.

“goblin can do things like this?”

“Not all of them, but some can.”

Seok-kyung nodded lightly.

Possible, but not all goblin have this ability. After a brief moment of calculation, Ara raised her hand to point at Seok-kyung.

“So, only exceptional goblin like Kim Seok-kyung can do this?”

Ara’s face showed the anticipation of a student waiting for the correct answer.

Seok-kyung looked at Ara, folded his arms, and tilted his head slightly. A playful smile adorned his neatly composed lips.

“Well, you’re not completely foolish after all.”