Goblin Library - Chapter 148

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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 148.

The Company President, who had been sighing, caught sight of Kang Young-moon.
“Did your mother tell you the name of the restaurant?”
“She told me the restaurant’s name. So I asked people about it.”
The Company President felt a moment of confusion. If Kang Young-moon knew the restaurant’s name, he could simply call directory assistance and ask for the number, then call the restaurant to ask for the password.
“You could have called 114 to get the number here….”
The Company President trailed off, smacking his lips. Though his restaurant was here, he lived in the Neighboring District, just like Kang Young-moon.
He had left his car at the Car Wash where Kang Young-moon worked several times before.
Because of that, he was also aware that Kang Young-moon’s intelligence was somewhat below average compared to ordinary people.
But this wasn’t simply a matter of Kang Young-moon’s intellect. Even his own mother, flustered and frightened, had taken the phone from Kang Young-moon without thinking to call 114.
“Please wait here for a moment. Let me just see our customers finish their meals….”
At the Company President’s words, the customers began rising from their seats one by one.
All the customers in the restaurant had heard his conversation.
The restaurant wasn’t very large, and the Company President, excited about his mother’s situation, had unconsciously raised his voice.
“Boss, we’re all finished.”
“Us too… slurp! slurp! We’re done.”
“Please ring us up.”
Even customers with food still remaining hurriedly shoved it into their mouths.
“Ah… no, please, you still have food left. Take your time.”
Startled by their behavior, the Company President spoke hastily. A customer who had risen without finishing wiped his mouth with a tissue and spoke.
“Your mother seems very worried. You should go check on her right away. Oh, and the food was really delicious.”
The customer smiled and handed over his card. The Company President looked at him with a bewildered expression.
The customer glanced at the others in the restaurant. Comically—or perhaps warmly—all the customers were standing.
Among them were even those whose food had just arrived and they’d barely taken a few spoonfuls.
Seeing this, the customer smiled and spoke.
“I have a mother too. If my mother were in that situation, I wouldn’t be able to focus on anything. So please, go home and check on her.”
“That’s right. If I imagine my mom standing outside because she couldn’t remember the house password… sigh.”
The Company President bowed his head to these customers.
“Thank you so much, everyone. Today’s meal is on the house.”
“But we can’t let you take a loss like that….”
“No, please. The fact that our customers show me such consideration means I’ve received something worth far more than money.”
The Company President bowed his head again to the customers.
“If you come back tomorrow, I’ll serve you an even more delicious meal.”
“But we should still pay….”
“No, truly, thank you.”
At the Company President’s words, the customer hesitated briefly, then left the restaurant with his companions.
Before leaving, he quickly placed a 50,000-won bill on the counter and spoke.
“I’ll give you your change tomorrow.”
Whoosh!
As the Company President tried to hurry after the departing customer, other patrons rushed out of the restaurant, leaving ten-thousand-won or fifty-thousand-won bills on the counter.
The customer who had left fifty thousand won took ten thousand won in change for themselves.
Fortunately, none of these customers left without paying anything at all.
Whether it was ten thousand won or several tens of thousands, they all left money and hurried out of the restaurant.
Since these customers understood the situation after hearing the phone conversation, not a single one tried to slip out without paying.
Besides, when everyone else was paying, it felt wrong to be the only one who didn’t.
Yu Tae-poong and the Dung Carrier Goblin also paid and left the restaurant among the other departing customers.
Yu Tae-poong’s face was radiant as he stepped outside. The Dung Carrier Goblin, walking alongside him after leaving the restaurant, asked about his smile.
“You didn’t even finish your meal, but you look happy.”
“Korea still seems like a good place to live.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course. Look at how people, after understanding the Company President’s situation, got up without finishing the food they’d paid for themselves. And besides…”
Yu Tae-poong continued with a smile.
“The words ‘We also have a mother’ were truly touching.”
He glanced back at the restaurant.
“Everyone has their circumstances, and we can’t possibly consider everyone’s situation… but the fact that there are still people here who think about others’ circumstances, even a little, means Korea is still worth living in.”
The Company President stood outside the restaurant, continuously bowing to the departing customers.
“Everyone’s hearts were moved by the word ‘mother.'”
Yu Tae-poong, muttering to himself, pulled out his phone.
“I should call my mother too.”
The Dung Carrier Goblin, nodding at Yu Tae-poong’s words, spoke.
“Bamboo Sword Goblin.”
At the Dung Carrier Goblin’s call, the Bamboo Sword Goblin appeared beside him.
“Why did you call?”
“I thought if Kang Young-moon exists, you’d be here too.”
“So?”
“Nothing much—I just wanted to see that story about Kang Young-moon.”
“Stories are most fun when you read them from the beginning.”
“I know, but… I want to see this episode right now.”
At the Dung Carrier Goblin’s words, the Bamboo Sword Goblin looked at him, then raised his hand.
Swish!
A sheet of paper appeared in the Bamboo Sword Goblin’s hand.
“It’s still in the editing phase, so there’s much that needs refinement.”
“You can look it over yourself. Thanks.”
As he reached for the paper along with his words, the Bamboo Sword Goblin pulled his hand back.
“What are you doing?”
“Even after reading this episode, you’ll need to read the Kang Young-moon book again.”
He was worried that after seeing only this episode, the Dung Carrier Goblin might not read the book again, claiming he already knew the content. At that, the Dung Carrier Goblin laughed and spoke.
“I promise.”
Only then did the Bamboo Sword Goblin hand the paper to the Dung Carrier Goblin before vanishing.
The Dung Carrier Goblin pulled the paper he’d received in both directions.
Riiiiip!
The paper split cleanly in two in the Dung Carrier Goblin’s hands.
“Want to look?”
“Of course. I’m curious what happened.”
“Reading while walking doesn’t seem right, and we’ve already clocked out—going back to the Goblin Library would be awkward. Should we hit up a cafe?”
“Let’s do that. It’s been a while since I’ve had someone else make me coffee.”
The two of them walked until they spotted a nearby cafe and stepped inside.
Once in the cafe, they placed their orders. While Yu Tae-poong simply ordered an iced americano, the Dung Carrier Goblin requested four slices of cake and a pastry.
“You’re going to eat all of that?”
“We left right after dinner.”
As the Dung Carrier Goblin spoke and handed over his card to pay, Yu Tae-poong licked his lips.
With their buzzer in hand, the two settled into a comfortable sofa by the window.
Seated on the sofa, Yu Tae-poong examined the paper. It contained an account of Kang Young-moon’s journey home after work today.

Kang Young-moon was in a good mood today. His younger brother Kang Young-sik had said he’d buy meat because the professor had given him spending money.
It was hard to put into words, but the real reason for his good mood seemed to be that Kang Young-sik was receiving favor from the professor, not just the prospect of meat.
How brilliant and exceptional must one be to receive spending money from a professor? With such thoughts, Kang Young-moon finished washing the cars assigned to him today and headed home with an excited expression.
In his hand, he carried a plastic bag. Inside were beverages that his grandfather and younger brother enjoyed.
Since his brother was bringing meat, he’d bought drinks.
『You mustn’t run. If you run, you’ll fall. Then you’ll get hurt.』
Though eager to get home quickly, Kang Young-moon didn’t run. From childhood, he’d heard countless times that running around led to injury.
So his pace, which had been nearly as quick as a sprinter’s, suddenly halted.
His eyes caught sight of an elderly woman crouching blankly in front of the villa.
『Grandmother is crying.』
The grandmother, still crouching, repeatedly wiped her eyes with her hands. Kang Young-moon stared blankly at her before approaching.
『Grandmother is crying.』
At Kang Young-moon’s words, the grandmother looked at him.
『Young man… ah, the car wash young man?』
At the grandmother’s words, as if she recognized him, Kang Young-moon studied her face carefully before gasping softly.
“You’re a customer at our shop, Grandmother. Hello.”
Kang Young-moon bowed deeply in greeting, and the grandmother wiped her eyes.
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
“Grandmother, you’re crying. Are you hurt?”
“W-well, it’s…”
Hesitantly, the grandmother glanced at the security keypad at the villa entrance. Then tears began flowing from her eyes again.
Seeing her trembling hands, Kang Young-moon pulled a warm can of honey water from the bag he was carrying, opened it, and offered it to her.
“Grandmother is trembling. Are you cold?”
Grandfather loved sweet honey water. As the season grew cooler, I was heading home after buying warm honey water for him.
Grandmother accepted it hesitantly.
『Ah… thank you.』
『Are you hurt somewhere?』
As Kang Young-moon spoke and crouched down to meet her gaze, Grandmother grasped the warm honey water can with both hands and let out a sob.
『Food waste….』
『Food waste? Did you touch it?』
When Grandmother didn’t seem to understand what he meant, Kang Young-moon squinted his eyes.
『I also hate touching food waste. Even after washing, my hands smell. But I don’t cry about it.』
At Kang Young-moon’s words, a faint smile appeared on Grandmother’s face. She seemed to think he believed she had come out to dispose of food waste and was crying because some had gotten on her hands.
『I don’t have food waste on my hands.』
『You don’t?』
『No.』
『Then you shouldn’t cry. When you cry, it makes the people around you sad.』
At Kang Young-moon’s words, Grandmother looked at him, then sighed and turned her attention back to the security keypad.
『I can’t get into my home.』
『Is this your home?』
『Yes.』
『Why can’t you get in?』
At Kang Young-moon’s question, Grandmother hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth.
『I… can’t remember the password.』
『You can’t remember the password?』
『It’s… sob! I suddenly can’t remember it.』
Tears suddenly poured from Grandmother’s eyes as she spoke.
『I suddenly can’t remember anything at all.』
As Grandmother cried, Kang Young-moon looked flustered and turned his head back and forth before looking at the keypad and speaking.
『When there’s a problem, call your sibling! When there’s a problem, call Grandfather! When there’s a problem, you call family!』
Watching Kang Young-moon continue saying the word “call,” Grandmother whimpered.
『I only came out for a moment to dispose of food waste… I didn’t bring my phone or wallet.』
『Do you know your family’s phone numbers?』
Grandmother shook her head while whimpering.
『I think I’ve become stupid. My head just feels blank. So… I’m so scared.』
It was a password I had used for years—so long that I couldn’t even remember when I first started using it.
Even when moving, people always kept the same password. The password was as familiar as a resident registration number.
But now those four digits of the password wouldn’t come to mind, and more than just being unable to enter my home right now, the fear that this might be dementia terrified me.
So I was crouching in front of the door and crying.
Waiting for someone to come out and open the door.
At Grandmother’s words, Kang Young-moon spoke.
『The Company President’s shop isn’t far from here.』
Grandmother’s son was a customer at Kang Young-moon’s Car Wash. That’s why he had heard from him when he came to get his car washed that the shop was in the Neighboring District.

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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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