Goblin Library - Chapter 25

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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 25

「I am Cha Dol, who gained life through you.」
Tae-poong gazed at the words Cha Dol had written, turning them over in his mind before speaking.
“I’ve heard from the Goblin that when I read his words, the protagonists in his stories gain life in that moment. But I thought it was just a metaphor or something like that… so they really do gain life.”
「The more you read about me and think of me, the more life we gain. That’s why I want to help you.」
“Are you perhaps trying to give me a role to play?”
「I wish I could, but… I don’t have a writer Goblin. The writer has passed on.」
“Ah….”
As Tae-poong let out a small sigh, Cha Dol wrote again.
「That’s why I have to bear the view count burden alone, so I can’t give you a role.」
“Then if the view count were high enough, it would be possible?”
「It would be difficult because I’d need many views. So instead, I’ll explain the martial techniques you struggle with in detail.」
At Cha Dol’s response, Tae-poong asked.
“But when I read the book, do the protagonists know my feelings the way the Goblin does?”
「When you read my words, we become connected to you in a sense. We don’t know as much detail as the Goblin does, but we can understand how you think of us.」
Tae-poong spoke with anticipation.
“So you’re trying to teach me martial arts.”
「You seem to want to learn martial arts for your health, but if you continue like this, you’ll actually injure your body instead. That’s why I’m speaking to you. I don’t want my reader, who enjoys my book so much, to hurt themselves with the martial arts learned from my story.」
“I was just following along because they said it was good for health….”
As Tae-poong looked puzzled, Cha Dol spoke.
「Right now your understanding is low, so you move slowly and without force, but later when you become more skilled, you’ll add speed and power. Since your movements aren’t correct, you could damage your muscles and bones.」
“My muscles and bones could be damaged?”
「Incorrect movements put strain on your muscles and bones.」
Cha Dol looked up at Tae-poong.
「Of course, at your current level, it’s not enough to cause that kind of damage.」
“Ah….”
「At your current training level, you won’t get hurt, but once the movements become familiar, it’s different.」
Cha Dol, who had been speaking, shook his head.
「Even while talking with you, my view count is being consumed.」
“Your view count?”
「A protagonist in a book must use view count to communicate with readers. Fortunately, since you read me so much, I’ve accumulated quite a bit of view count, but….」
Cha Dol sighed. Naturally, the sound didn’t reach Tae-poong’s ears.
「The view count consumption is greater than expected. For now, I’ll tell you only what’s important. The most incorrect part of your current training is your feet. You move your upper body first and adjust your feet accordingly, but that’s wrong. All movement begins with the lower body and the feet. So you must first understand the footwork shown in the illustrations and then move your upper body.」
As he spoke, footprints began to be drawn on one side of the book.
「Read the book frequently and pay close attention to these footprints. That way, view count will accumulate so I can teach you martial arts.」
Whoosh!
And the illustration that had just been moving and speaking toward Tae-poong returned to its original state.
Except for the newly formed footprints, the book had returned to its original state.
“That’s fascinating.”
I had spoken with the author Goblin before, but this was my first time having a conversation with a protagonist from within a book.
And now I realized that the protagonist inside the book could communicate with me as well.
Moreover….
“He even taught me martial arts.”
Though for now, he’d only shown me the footprints.
Tae-poong, who had been gazing at the book with wonder, suddenly tilted his head.
“Could it be that the boss meant for me to keep reading the book for this reason?”

-Keep reading it.
-Keep reading it?
-Yes, if you keep reading, you’ll figure out how to do it.

Tae-poong recalled the words the Bamboo Sword Goblin had spoken to him and looked at the book again.
Now that he thought about it, it seemed the Bamboo Sword Goblin had known all along that this would happen and told him to keep reading.
He had known that if Tae-poong mimicked the movements and increased the view count, Cha Dol would teach him martial arts.
‘But the view count was just supposed to be entertainment for the Goblins…. Is something like this actually possible with view counts?’
He had thought view counts were useless badges, but now it seemed they were useful badges after all.
After pondering for a moment, Tae-poong nodded and looked at the footprints in the illustration.
Then, holding the book, he began to move his feet following the footprints.

***

Tae-poong laid several sheets of newspaper across the table in the Goblin Library, then placed a burner on top.
Moments later, the door opened.
“I’m here.”
The Dung Carrier Goblin entered with a bright smile, and Tae-poong rose with a grin.
“Welcome.”
The Dung Carrier Goblin approached the table lined with newspaper.
Then he asked hesitantly.
“But is Ok-ja really okay with this?”
He still seemed uncertain whether reconciliation with Choi Ok-ja was truly possible. Tae-poong answered with a smile.
“I mentioned it over the phone a few days ago. The boss really wants to apologize to you.”
“Really?”
The Dung Carrier Goblin tilted his head.
“She was quite rude back then.”
“She was just a child.”
Tae-poong answered with a smile, gesturing to the empty table.
“And she’s preparing delicious food to treat you right now.”
“Right now?”
“She said if she made it ahead of time, it wouldn’t taste as good, so she’s timing it perfectly.”
Then Tae-poong looked at the Dung Carrier Goblin.
“I have something I’d like to ask.”
The Dung Carrier Goblin spread the newspaper on the table with his hands, making rustling sounds, and spoke.
“What is it?”
“Before, you said that view counts were like collecting jacks that children play with—fun to gather but useless otherwise.”
“That’s right.”
“But the protagonist in a book spoke to me.”
Tae-poong recounted what had happened and then asked. The Dung Carrier Goblin laughed and answered.
“Seems like you read that book quite a lot.”
“I kept reading it for several days straight.”
“Whether it’s the protagonist or a Goblin author, to speak to a reader, the reader must empathize deeply with the book and find it entertaining. Or the opposite—harbor dissatisfaction.”
“I understand the entertainment part, but… dissatisfaction?”
The Dung Carrier Goblin laughed at Tae-poong’s question and explained.
“It’s the same as when I first spoke to you.”
Recalling that time, Tae-poong scratched his head.
“I was sorry about that.”
The Dung Carrier Goblin shook his head with a laugh. Back then, Tae-poong had looked at the protagonists in the novel the Dung Carrier Goblin had written and thought, “What kind of garbage humans are these?”
And the Dung Carrier Goblin, having read that thought, had grumbled and spoken to him, saying this wasn’t a book written for him to judge.
“Whether it’s entertainment or dissatisfaction, such emotions only arise when you immerse yourself in the book’s content. Anyway, once that happens, depending on the protagonist’s nature, they may or may not speak to you. And when they do speak, the protagonist needs the view counts they’ve accumulated. They consume view counts to speak to you.”
“Ah! So that’s it. If view counts are like jacks with no real use, how can the protagonist in the book use them to speak to me or feel curious about me?”
No matter how alive the protagonist might be when a reader reads, they’re still just in the book, aren’t they?
The Dung Carrier Goblin nodded at Tae-poong’s question and spoke.
“We Goblins have always taken such things for granted, never really thinking about the reasons behind them.”
After all, when humans tell each other they’re eating, they don’t explain the method of eating itself.
The Dung Carrier Goblin paused, considering how best to explain this to Tae-poong, then nodded.
“In other words, view count can be called causality.”
“Causality?”
“It’s something humans say often—cause and effect. There must be a cause for a result to exist; without a cause, there can be no result.”
The Dung Carrier Goblin then gestured toward the bookshelf as he spoke.
“The cause is that you read the book, and the effect is that the protagonist can speak to you. Everything in this world happens through this cause and effect.”
The Dung Carrier Goblin, who had been looking at the bookshelf, turned his gaze to Tae-poong.
“We Goblins are somewhat free from causality, so we collect and use view counts for entertainment, but it’s different for you as a human.”
The Dung Carrier Goblin then smiled and continued.
“I’m not sure if this explanation helps, but anyway—if you read a lot and enjoy it, the protagonist can speak to you. That’s all you need to know.”
At the Dung Carrier Goblin’s words, Tae-poong thought for a moment, then nodded.
“So view count is the cause, and the protagonist speaking to me is the effect.”
“Exactly. Do you have any other questions?”
“You mentioned that if I use a lot of view count, you’ll grant entertainment too?”
“If you really like it, I will. But for a book without a writer Goblin, the protagonist has to handle the view count alone, so it would require a tremendous amount.”
“Then I just need to watch it a lot, right?”
“Just watching a lot isn’t enough.”
“Why not?”
“You have to watch it with genuine enjoyment. That way, the protagonist feels grateful and will grant you entertainment. If you just skim through it with your eyes, why would the protagonist feel grateful?”
At the Dung Carrier Goblin’s words, Tae-poong nodded, then suddenly asked.
“But how can I enjoy a book I’ve already read once?”
“Haven’t you ever read a book again after the first time, Tae-poong? Comic books or novels?”
“That’s… well… yes, I suppose so.”
A book is most enjoyable the first time you read it, after all. The curiosity and anticipation of not knowing how the rest unfolds makes it engaging.
But truly entertaining books could be enjoyed again and again, even knowing the flow and outcome.
The problem was whether Cha Dol’s book had that level of entertainment value.
‘There are certainly satisfying parts…’
The scenes where corrupt landlords and swindlers were punished were definitely entertaining.
As I was thinking about this, the library door opened, and Choi Ok-ja entered carrying two large trays balanced on her head.
“I’m here.”
Startled by the sight, Tae-poong hurried toward her.
“Wait, what are you doing?”
Tae-poong reached out to grab the trays, but Choi Ok-ja smoothly sidestepped, laughing as she spoke.
“Without skill, I’d drop them. I’ll handle it.”
With that, Choi Ok-ja approached where the Dung Carrier Goblin was sitting and carefully lowered the trays as she spoke.
“Dung Carrier.”
At Choi Ok-ja’s words, the Dung Carrier Goblin looked at her with a slightly uncomfortable expression.
“Ah… you’ve… arrived.”
Choi Ok-ja smiled at the Dung Carrier Goblin’s reluctant greeting and set the two-tiered tray down beside him.
The upper tier held various pancakes and stew bowls.
“Wow, how did you carry all this at once?”
“Back when I did deliveries, I used to carry three or four tiers of these stacked up.”
Choi Ok-ja smiled as she arranged the food, then bowed her head to the Dung Carrier Goblin.
“I was immature when I was young and wronged you. I apologize.”
The Dung Carrier Goblin, who had been watching Choi Ok-ja’s respectful bow, spoke softly.
“So… you won’t do that anymore?”
“Of course not.”
At Choi Ok-ja’s words, the Dung Carrier Goblin broke into a bright smile.
“Then that’s good. Ah! I’ll enjoy this meal.”
“Please eat plenty, and let me know if you’d like anything else.”
I was relieved the two had made peace. I smiled and pulled out soju and beverages from the refrigerator.

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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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