Goblin Library - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 12

*Whoosh.*
Typhoon picked up Lim Sung-un’s book and walked to the table, flipping through the pages.
The protagonist Lim Sung-un was a prosecutor. The story began with his appointment as a prosecutor, and he was the type who caught anyone who committed crimes by any means necessary.
Lim Sung-un was a man who believed criminals had no human rights—only the price of their sins.
Yet paradoxically, he held the strange belief that necessary evils must be acknowledged, which connected him to organized crime syndicates.
He reasoned that criminal organizations would never truly disappear—new ones would always emerge—so he decided to tolerate the syndicates he could personally manage.
As long as they didn’t harass ordinary citizens or commit violent crimes, he turned a blind eye to their activities. In exchange, those syndicates followed Lim Sung-un’s orders and gathered evidence through illegal methods that prosecutors couldn’t employ.
Then Lim Sung-un would match the evidence to the crime scene, set traps, and arrest the guilty.
That was Lim Sung-un—a man who would stop at nothing to catch criminals.
If Pot Goblin’s writing was a warm drama about helping people, then Bamboo Sword Goblin’s writing was a cold thriller.
So while Typhoon found it entertaining, part of him felt afraid. If a goblin wrote stories featuring protagonists with similar tendencies to his own, then Bamboo Sword Goblin would surely stop at nothing to achieve his goals either.
‘If this is Bamboo Sword Goblin’s true nature… I need to be careful.’
As these thoughts crossed Typhoon’s mind, he suddenly glanced at the page and hastily set the book down.
‘Right. He’ll sense my emotions.’
He worried about what would happen if Bamboo Sword Goblin felt his current emotions. After a moment of hesitation, Typhoon nodded to himself.
‘But he can’t read my thoughts.’
It was natural to feel fear while reading a story about crime—actual incidents that had occurred. So even if Bamboo Sword Goblin sensed his emotions, he wouldn’t necessarily grow suspicious.
Continuing to read with these thoughts, Typhoon paused as he reached for the next page.
‘But he hasn’t said anything?’
The other goblins had spoken to him when he started reading their books, but Bamboo Sword Goblin had remained silent.
‘Hmm… Is it awkward for him to pretend to know me since I’m staff?’
That seemed plausible. Asking a stranger to critique your work was different from asking someone you already knew.
As Typhoon was about to turn the page with these thoughts, Bamboo Sword Goblin’s voice reached his ears.
[How can you absorb the story with such scattered thoughts?]
Startled by Bamboo Sword Goblin’s sudden voice, Typhoon looked at the book. It seemed the goblin had initially intended to observe silently, but seeing Typhoon’s mind wander repeatedly while reading, he finally decided to speak.
“The Lim Sung-un character is so powerful that it makes me think about various things.”
At Typhoon’s words, Bamboo Sword Goblin fell silent for a moment in thought before speaking.
[The Lim Sung-un character is like a coin.]
“A coin?”
[Sometimes righteous, sometimes wicked. He approaches victims of crime like an angel, but to those who commit crimes, he’s a demon. And that’s what makes the Lim Sung-un character compelling.]
Typhoon nodded at Bamboo Sword Goblin’s explanation of his own character.
“Ah, I understand what you mean. It makes perfect sense now.”
[That… no, never mind.]
After that, Bamboo Sword Goblin said nothing more.
Waiting to see if Bamboo Sword Goblin would continue, Typhoon stared at the book for a moment, then glanced sideways at Dung Carrier Goblin’s book.
In terms of pure entertainment value, Bamboo Sword Goblin’s book surpassed Dung Carrier Goblin’s.
Taifung paused his comparison of the two books and picked up the Dung Carrier Goblin’s novel. Since he’d already started it, stopping now would only make it harder to return to later.
With that reasoning, Taifung opened the Dung Carrier Goblin’s book and resumed reading.

While absorbed in his reading, Taifung suddenly felt hunger gnawing at him. Checking his watch, he realized it was already well past two in the afternoon.
“Come to think of it, I’ve been reading this whole time without eating.”
Deciding it was time for a late lunch, Taifung brought the books to the counter. He couldn’t leave unfinished books scattered across the Reading Room table—not with customers potentially arriving.
As he prepared to leave the Goblin Library with Oh Jang-hyuk’s book, Taifung suddenly halted.
After a moment’s consideration, he decided he should ask Bamboo Sword Goblin first. He picked up Lim Sung-un’s book and inquired.
“Is it alright to take a Goblin Library book outside and read it there?”
Shortly after, Bamboo Sword Goblin’s response came.
[As long as you keep it clean.]
“I see.”
[Just as human libraries have lending systems, so do we.]
“Ah… of course. Since it’s a library, borrowing books makes sense.”
[However, if you wipe your nose on the pages, or use a book as a pot coaster, the author of that book will not let you off lightly.]
“I would never do such a thing.”
[Not even once in your entire life?]
“Well…”
Taifung swallowed his words and grimaced. He couldn’t deny that as a child, he’d wiped his nose on a book or two.
Though admittedly, he hadn’t done it since growing up.
[You must not fold the corners of pages either.]
“Understood.”
Taifung nodded at Bamboo Sword Goblin’s warning and set down Lim Sung-un’s book.
He reached for Oh Jang-hyuk’s book to take with him, then sighed and put it back down.
If he was going to eat, there was a risk of accidentally splashing broth on it.
“Better not to incur a goblin’s wrath.”
Taifung left Oh Jang-hyuk’s book on the counter and exited the Goblin Library. Jeonjujeon was close by, so he arrived quickly.
Ding!
As he pushed open the door, the rhythmic sound of a knife striking the cutting board greeted him.
Tap-tap-tap! Tap-tap-tap!
The cheerful, rhythmic clatter filled the air as Taifung spoke.
“Hello.”
At his greeting, Grandmother poked her head out from the kitchen.
“Have you come for lunch?”
“Yes. Is it too late?”
Grandmother emerged with a warm smile, wiping her hands on her apron as she answered.
“The time doesn’t matter. But eating lunch too late means dinner will be late too, which isn’t good for your health. From now on, try to come around noon.”
“I will.”
Taifung scratched his head and bowed apologetically, prompting Grandmother to smile warmly and say.
“Sit wherever you’re comfortable. What would you like to eat?”
At Grandmother’s words, Typhoon took a seat and asked.
“What did you have for lunch, Grandmother?”
“I had some bean sprout soup with a spoonful of rice mixed in.”
“Then please give me the same.”
“But since you’re already here, is there nothing else you’d like to eat?”
At Grandmother’s words, Typhoon smiled and spoke.
“That’s enough. Oh, and the kimchi was delicious.”
“Of course. Then I’ll bring it right away.”
Grandmother soon entered the kitchen and returned moments later with a tray of food.
“Bean sprout soup tastes best when eaten cool.”
As she spoke, Grandmother set down the soup, rice, and two varieties of kimchi before me.
“This is finely chopped kimchi. If you mix it into the bean sprout soup, it becomes tangy and delicious.”
“Thank you.”
“But is there anything else you need? Should I make some pajeon for you?”
“No, this is plenty.”
Having said so, Typhoon began mixing the chopped kimchi and rice into the bean sprout soup before speaking.
“If you don’t mind, could we talk about something?”
At Typhoon’s words, Grandmother smiled and took a seat across from me. She seemed to already know what I wanted to discuss.
She poured water into a cup and spoke.
“You’re still feeling bewildered, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
As Typhoon nodded, Grandmother gently pushed the side dishes toward me.
“Eat while we talk. People like us can’t discuss this with others, so we need to share it among ourselves or we’ll go mad.”
“You understand.”
Grandmother nodded and spoke.
“When I was young, I thought everyone had a supernatural uncle Goblin.”
At Grandmother’s words, Typhoon suddenly looked at her.
“Have you known Bamboo Sword Goblin for a long time?”
“I’ve known him for quite a while. My family ate, slept, and lived at the shop. So when my mother was working, I’d read books at the Goblin Library and learn from my uncle Goblins.”
“Uncle Goblins?”
“Back then, many uncle Goblins used to visit.”
“They don’t come often now?”
“Back then, there really wasn’t anything entertaining. There were no movies like now, no internet… So the Goblins would gather at the library frequently to play and then leave.”
“That makes sense.”
These days there were far more entertaining things compared to back then.
Typhoon nodded and looked at Grandmother. I suddenly realized that she had been speaking to me in formal language the whole time.
“Please speak comfortably with me.”
At Typhoon’s words, Grandmother smiled and spoke.
“I’ll do that once we’re closer.”
“I prefer that you treat me comfortably.”
“You have to get close to people to feel comfortable around them. If you’re not close and just start speaking casually because you’re older, it looks cheap.”
Grandmother continued, gazing at Typhoon.
“I’ve always found it admirable when older people speak respectfully to younger ones.”
“Admirable?”
“Absolutely. When elderly people with white hair speak respectfully to young workers at convenience stores or gas stations, and bow their heads while saying thank you at the end—that’s truly admirable.”
“I see.”
Typhoon nodded as if understanding what Grandmother meant, and she smiled before speaking.
“Anyway, I spent my childhood with those Goblin uncles, but later I realized our family was the only one who got close to Goblins. When I found that out, I felt so frustrated as a child because I wanted to tell my friends, ‘I’m close with Goblins.'”
“That’s understandable for a child.”
Children naturally want to boast when they know something others don’t or possess something superior to their peers.
For such a child, those Goblin uncles would have been the most coveted topic to brag about to other children.
“So you told people around you?”
Grandmother laughed at Typhoon’s question.
“Why? Do you want to tell people, Typhoon?”
“Hmm….”
Typhoon thought for a moment at Grandmother’s question before answering.
“I still find it hard to believe myself.”
How could he tell others about something he himself couldn’t believe? He’d only be treated like a madman.
Grandmother nodded at Typhoon’s words.
“It may be that way now, but as time passes, there will come a moment when you’ll want to tell someone. When that time comes, come find me.”
“I understand.”
As Typhoon answered, Grandmother smiled contentedly and gestured toward the food.
“Let’s eat.”
At Grandmother’s words, Typhoon scooped a spoonful of rice soaked in soybean sprout soup and ate it.
While chewing the rice grains, he asked something that had been on his mind.
“You said you’ve read many books from the Goblin Library. Have you read many books by Goblins too?”
“I’ve read quite a few.”
“Did the Goblins talk to you every time?”
“Some spoke to me, and some didn’t.”
“Some didn’t?”
Grandmother laughed at Typhoon’s question.
“Do Goblins often talk to you?”
“Yes.”
“That’s probably because you’re reading books by unpopular authors.”
“Unpopular….”
Seeing Typhoon’s confused expression, Grandmother explained.
“Popular authors don’t reply to every comment on their writing. There would be far too many comments for them to do that.”
“Ah, I see.”
Typhoon, who had been nodding, suddenly looked at Grandmother.
“But it seems like Goblins don’t read other Goblins’ books very often?”
“Is that so?”
“You didn’t know?”
“When I was young, the Goblins used to come to the library quite often and read many books. We’d even discuss writing together.”
Grandmother then turned her head toward the direction of the Goblin Library and spoke.
“But it seems they don’t come much these days.”
As bitterness flickered across Grandmother’s face at the memory of the old Goblin Library, Typhoon asked to shift the mood.
“What kind of books did you enjoy, ma’am?”
Grandmother smiled at Typhoon’s question and replied.
“I read many books by Colorful Hanbok Goblin.”
“Colorful Hanbok Goblin. I’ve never heard of her.”
“Her books are like fairy tales. That’s why I loved them so much when I was young.”
Hearing Grandmother’s words, Typhoon tried to conjure an image of Colorful Hanbok Goblin.
‘Colorful hanbok… is she talking about something like children’s traditional Korean clothing?’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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