Goblin Library - Chapter 99

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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 99.

Pot Goblin sighed as she watched Cha Im-beom and the Fire Department personnel tidying up the area with exhausted expressions.
“You’ve saved so many people, yet your expression doesn’t look good.”
At Kang Doo-chi’s words, Pot Goblin gazed at him for a moment before answering.
“I fear my change of heart came far too late.”
“Do you regret not intervening earlier?”
“As a Goblin writer, I shouldn’t meddle in the protagonist’s affairs. Yet I, born from a mother’s heart, found it unbearable to simply overlook her sorrow. So I was torn between two hearts, and ultimately I chose to follow the mother’s heart and exert myself to save people. If I was going to do that, I should have made a decision from the beginning rather than agonize over it.”
Pot Goblin shook her head.
“If I was going to act, I should have done it sooner.”
At Pot Goblin’s regret, Kang Doo-chi looked at her and spoke.
“Still, because you stepped forward, the tears of many mothers have been stopped.”
Pot Goblin nodded and asked.
“Quite a few people inhaled smoke even though they didn’t die inside. What happens to them?”
“Are you asking if they’ll die?”
“You won’t tell me, but I wanted to ask anyway.”
At Pot Goblin’s words, Kang Doo-chi glanced at something and answered.
“I won’t tell you either. Instead… watch the news. The news these days is surprisingly accurate.”
Then Kang Doo-chi looked behind him. Behind him stood JS employees facing him.
“Thanks to you, we’ll have to pull an all-nighter today.”
“An all-nighter?”
“The guests we were supposed to escort today couldn’t come because of you as a variable… so we need to handle paperwork. There are many official documents and forms we need to send to various departments.”
He had to prepare explanatory statements for the guests he couldn’t escort today and send official documents to other departments as well.
For instance, he had to send official documents and explanatory statements to the judges and prosecutors of Hell Court where those who died today would go, and he also had to contact the Lawyer who would handle their defense.
So there were many official documents and statements to write. Kang Doo-chi shook his head as if it were a tedious matter and walked toward his employees while speaking.
“I’ll see you next time.”
“Yes, see you next time.”
Kang Doo-chi waved his hand at Pot Goblin’s greeting and disappeared among the people with his employees.

***

After reading the book, Yu Tae-poong paused for a moment before asking.
“So what Pot Goblin did was open all the locked doors and sharpen Cha Im-beom’s senses?”
From the book, Cha Im-beom heard sounds that other firefighters couldn’t detect. Thanks to that, he was able to find and rescue all the unconscious people by following the sound of their phones or the slightest movements.
The fire scene in the book was so thick with smoke that relying on sight alone made it difficult to locate survivors. If Pot Goblin hadn’t enhanced Cha Im-beom’s senses, the casualties would have been far greater.
At Yu Tae-poong’s question, Pot Goblin nodded.
“That’s right.”
After hearing Pot Goblin’s answer, Yu Tae-poong, who had been lost in thought, spoke carefully.
“Isn’t that… acceptable?”
At Yu Tae-poong’s words, Pot Goblin looked at Dung Carrier Goblin. Dung Carrier Goblin nodded.
“From my perspective, this level doesn’t seem to have a major impact on the story. Besides, Cha Im-beom’s performance was so impressive that it made the episode even more entertaining.”
“You think so?”
“I do. What about you, Yu Tae-poong?”
Seeing Dung Carrier Goblin’s nod, Yu Tae-poong also nodded.
“I agree.”
After hearing both their opinions, Pot Goblin fell silent in thought for a moment, then spoke with lingering regret.
“Still, my heart feels uneasy.”
At that, Yu Tae-poong tried to comfort her.
“But as Pot Goblin, you did protect the hearts of the mothers.”
At the mention of a mother’s heart, Pot Goblin sighed and nodded.
“You can’t catch two rabbits with one trap.”
Pot Goblin, speaking to mean that she couldn’t do everything she wanted, shook her head and asked with a smile.
“So what did you think of this episode?”
At Pot Goblin’s question, Yu Tae-poong answered with a smile.
“It was excellent.”
“Really?”
“It was good seeing Cha Im-beom rescue people in a way that fits the firefighter profession. The story definitely needs to progress in line with its theme to be entertaining. Firefighters save people, and police officers catch criminals.”
Then Dung Carrier Goblin slapped the table.
Slap!
“You startled me.”
Seeing Pot Goblin jump in surprise, Dung Carrier Goblin laughed and spoke.
“And I liked the ladder truck driver and the Convenience Store Owner too, not just Cha Im-beom.”
“Right. When the ladder truck driver brought the truck over, I frowned wondering why he was bringing a vehicle to the fire and blocking traffic. But when he said he came to rescue people, I felt good about it.”
“I also liked the part where the Convenience Store Owner distributed drinks and chocolate, saying everyone worked hard. Even though they’re his own merchandise, he probably had to order them.”
“That’s true.”
Yu Tae-poong smiled.
“Besides, that’s something that actually happens in reality.”
As Yu Tae-poong continued speaking, the smile faded from his face.
Yu Tae-poong bowed his head in silence as if in prayer, then straightened his posture and sighed.
“And those who passed away… that’s reality too.”
While grateful and moved by those who came to help at the fire scene, the loss of life was equally real.
So… I couldn’t simply feel good about it.
Dung Carrier Goblin stared blankly at Yu Tae-poong’s expression.
Human life and death held no interest for Dung Carrier Goblin. But Pot Goblin seemed different—she closed her eyes while stroking the book.
And in her mind’s eye, she recalled the image of a JS employee standing before the burning motel room and stepping inside.
Pot Goblin, who had been lost in thought for a moment, brushed her bowler hat once and rose to her feet.
“Yu Tae-poong, if you ever feel later that you should do something, don’t hesitate. Time flows even as you deliberate, and that time never returns.”
At Pot Goblin’s words, Yu Tae-poong lowered his head.
“I’ll remember that.”
Pot Goblin picked up the glass filled with baijiu and drank it straight down, then set it aside.
“Let’s see each other again next time. Oh! If you end up somewhere nice, call me anytime. I’m a goblin who enjoys leisure and good food, after all.”
Pot Goblin laughed and left the Chinese Restaurant. As Dung Carrier Goblin watched the door close behind her, he suddenly muttered as if remembering something.
“Did you undo the senses?”
“Pardon?”
Yu Tae-poong looked confused, and Dung Carrier Goblin explained.
“You amplified Cha Im-beom’s senses. It looks like you enhanced his hearing and sight.”
“That’s right.”
“I was wondering if you’d reverted them back to normal.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to leave them as they are? Since he’s a firefighter, better hearing and sight would help him save people.”
Dung Carrier Goblin shook his head.
“He could develop a mental illness.”
“A mental illness?”
“The five senses are best when they’re moderate. For example, if hearing becomes too acute, he’d react sensitively to even the smallest sounds. These days there are so many advertisement texts and notification sounds—imagine if those tiny sounds felt as loud as holding a phone right against your ear. Wouldn’t that drive you mad?”
“That would be true.”
Thinking about it, there was merit to the argument. If his hearing became so acute that he detected every small sound, he’d wake constantly from sleep, and sleep deprivation would set in immediately.
“I should tell her right away.”
Yu Tae-poong was about to call Pot Goblin when he suddenly glanced at the book.
“I should have just held the book and spoken.”
“That would work too, but our goblin likes receiving phone calls.”
“Really?”
While Yu Tae-poong wondered why at Dung Carrier Goblin’s words, the call to Pot Goblin connected.
[What’s wrong?]
“I was wondering if you’d undone the senses you enhanced for Cha Im-beom.”
[Senses? Oh! The senses.]
“Dung Carrier Goblin says that if someone’s senses become too acute, it would be difficult to live normally.”
At Yu Tae-poong’s words, Pot Goblin thought for a moment before speaking.
[That’s true. I hadn’t thought of that. Thank you for telling me.]
“No, if you’d been looking into it, you would have realized soon enough anyway.”
After ending the call, Yu Tae-poong looked at Dung Carrier Goblin.
“But why do you like receiving phone calls?”
“It’s the same as liking to ride in cars.”
“A car….”
“If we set our minds to it, we can open a door and go anywhere. Yet Bamboo Sword Goblin and Pot Goblin insist on taking cars to get around. Unless it’s truly urgent.”
“That’s true.”
Even when we went out to eat meat before, we moved around in Pot Goblin’s car.
“We enjoy human civilization like that. Answering phones, fiddling with phones—all of it.”
“I see.”
Understanding what he meant, Yu Tae-poong glanced at his watch. It was already approaching 9 PM.
At that, Yu Tae-poong looked at the Chinese Restaurant Owner and asked.
“Until what time are you open?”
“We stay open as long as there are customers… but I’d be grateful if you could finish before 9:30. We need to clean up and head out.”
At the Chinese Restaurant Owner’s words, Yu Tae-poong nodded and looked at the remaining food.
Since we’d kept eating while reading, the dishes were nearly finished.
“Hyung, shall we get up now?”
Dung Carrier Goblin looked reluctant but rose obediently from his seat. Having heard the operating hours, ordering more food would be inconsiderate.
“It’s a shame though.”
“So where should we go for round two?”
“Round two?”
“How about chicken and beer?”
“Chicken and beer, that sounds good. Let’s go with seasoned fried chicken. I want that juicy old-fashioned whole chicken marinated in savory sauce.”
“Sometimes that hits the spot.”
Crispy seasoned fried chicken was good, but there were times when the juicy kind, thoroughly soaked in sauce, was better.
The kind where one bite releases the sauce and lingering oil that seeps across your palate….
“Do you know a good place?”
Yu Tae-poong pulled out his card to pay, then stopped and put it back.
He remembered that Lee Gang-hyuk had paid when they left last time.
Yu Tae-poong stepped out of the Chinese Restaurant with Dung Carrier Goblin and spoke.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“Please come again next time.”
The owner bowed while clearing the dishes, and Yu Tae-poong opened the shop door and stepped outside.

Yu Tae-poong stepped out of the shop and smiled as he felt the cool breeze.
“The weather has turned quite pleasant, hasn’t it?”
At Yu Tae-poong’s observation, Dung Carrier Goblin stretched and spoke.
“It has. When I first met you, it was around the start of summer… but now summer is passing.”
“An entire season….”
Yu Tae-poong, who had been thinking for a moment, smiled and spoke.
“I hope to spend many more seasons with you, hyung.”
“That we will.”
Dung Carrier Goblin, who had been smiling back at him, looked at Yu Tae-poong.
“Let’s buy some roasted chicken and draft beer and head to my farm in Gangwon Province.”
“Your farm?”
“Gangwon Province is cooler than here. Actually, it might even be cold.”
Dung Carrier Goblin chuckled and pulled out his phone to call someone.
“It’s me. One seasoned, one fried, and three pitchers of draft beer.”
After hanging up, Yu Tae-poong asked him.
“Which place did you call?”
“My favorite roasted chicken place near my farm.”
Dung Carrier Goblin smiled and glanced around casually before speaking.
“By the way, it seems Lee Gang-hyuk is curious about us.”
“Why?”
“He’s had a tail put on us.”
“A tail? You mean surveillance.”
Yu Tae-poong started to look around but quickly stopped himself. If they realized he’d noticed the surveillance….
‘Hmm? Is that a problem?’
As Yu Tae-poong was thinking this, Dung Carrier Goblin spoke.
“You can look around. Even if we know, there’s nothing they can do about it.”
Reassured by Dung Carrier Goblin’s words, Yu Tae-poong looked around and asked.
“But who are they?”
“There, there, and there.”
Dung Carrier Goblin openly pointed out the people following them. Wherever his finger pointed, people flinched and quickly looked at their phones or elsewhere, pretending to be busy.
At their reaction, Dung Carrier Goblin let out a quiet laugh and began walking.
“Let’s go.”
Yu Tae-poong nodded. Then, as he walked alongside Dung Carrier Goblin, he waved at the people following them.
As if to say: if you’re going to follow, then come on.

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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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