Chapter 21.1

Chapter 21.1

However, Seok-kyung didn’t budge. The only thing that moved was the black plastic bag in his hand, rustling slightly.

“If I get caught, I’m seriously dead!”

Ara, in a panic, stomped her feet in frustration and clutched Seok-kyung’s sleeve over and over again. His uncooperative attitude, showing no sign of moving, stirred not only her anxiety but also a growing sense of injustice.

‘What if Kim Seok-kyung leaves me behind?’

‘Na Ara, you still don’t know our king well enough.’

Ara recalled the conversation she had with Seol-do before leaving home.

If I survive and see Seol-do, I want to tell her this:

Seol-do, maybe you didn’t know Kim Seok-kyung that well either. I should’ve asked Baekseol to come with me rather than trusting that goblin.

In the end, Ara let go of Seok-kyung’s sleeve.

Even though the idea of leaving behind the Goblin King weighed on her, the situation had come to this—she had no choice but to run for her life alone.

Yes. I’ve got my own neck to worry about. Who has time to care about someone else right now?

Just as Ara resolved herself and was about to turn away—

“Na Ara. Have you forgotten who I am?”

Seok-kyung, who had stood still as a statue, staring down at her, finally let out a long sigh and set his bag down on the ground.

“…?”

Ara frowned at his cryptic words.

In the blink of an eye, Seok-kyung scanned their surroundings.

The nearby utility pole, the signpost, the open shops and stalls, the gazes of the passersby, the distance between them and the approaching thugs… Seok-kyung took it all in.

After calculating everything in an instant, his eyes gleamed with the same unshakable confidence as always.

Snap.

Seok-kyung’s right hand made a crisp sound.

Pop! Bang—!

In that moment, fireworks unexpectedly exploded in the clear sky.

The loud bangs and brilliant bursts of light, even in the middle of the day, instinctively drew the attention of every person on the street.

The gang of thugs, who had been about to pounce on Ara, froze in their tracks, their fierce gazes now blankly staring upward.

Even Ara couldn’t help but lift her eyes to the sky.

The fireworks were so mesmerizing, charged with enough magical energy to enthrall anyone who saw them.

‘What are you even worried about? The Goblin King is right beside you—what’s there to fear?’

Ara bit her lip, Seol-do’s words suddenly ringing in her head. In the meantime, several more fireworks bloomed in the sky.

Did Seok-kyung really make those? Or is he telling me to use this distraction and escape? He’s been acting indifferent this whole time, so why suddenly help now? No, who cares about the reason? I just need to run.

“Ara.”

A low, soft voice cut through her frantic thoughts.

“Impatient as always, yet slow to learn.”

Seok-kyung took out a pair of sunglasses from his jacket’s inner pocket. His smooth fingers lingered briefly at her eye level, brushing past her ears before retreating.

In an instant, the Goblin King’s enchanted cap erased both their forms from sight.

Seok-kyung casually withdrew his hand and snapped his fingers again.

Pop! Bang! The final firework arced high, scattering sparks in all directions.

“What the—? Fireworks in broad daylight?”

“Maybe there’s some kind of military event today.”

“I didn’t hear anything about that. But look at those flames, don’t they seem off? Like… goblin fire?”

The crowd that had gathered to gawk at the sky quickly dispersed, returning the bustling market to its usual state, as if nothing had happened.

Except for one thing: Ara had completely vanished.

Hidden in plain sight, Ara shifted awkwardly, her eyes darting around. Her face, which had been ghostly pale in panic, was now tinged with a faint blush.

Ara reached out toward a passerby. Her hand passed through them like a ghost’s. The Goblin King’s magic was working perfectly.

She marveled for a moment, then suddenly pointed behind Seok-kyung. Though she’d briefly forgotten in the relief, this was no time to relax.

“Seok-kyung! Behind you!”

But Seok-kyung, already aware, smirked crookedly. Without a word, he bent down and picked up the bag of vegetables he’d set on the ground earlier.

“Ah!” A thug with a shaved head, who had been about to grab Seok-kyung’s shoulder, swiped at empty air and stumbled, landing flat on the ground.

While the thug cursed and clambered back to his feet, a larger brute stepped forward, scanning the area with a sharp, irritated gaze.

“What the hell? They were just here!”