Chapter 78

78. Sarahon

“Hey! Don’t do that! Oh my God!”

Ea stomped her feet, not knowing what to do. The Goblins, on the other hand, only watched with their eyes wide open.

“Cough… Cough!”

Marilyn struggled to loosen up her throat. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to get out of the clutches of Ko Byeong-gap.

“Don’t take my word as a joke.”

“Ah… I see… Fuha!”

Ko Byeong-gap let her go, and Marilyn slid down the wall. Her face wrinkled with all kinds of negative emotions. He raised the little one on the floor and asked, “Are you alright?”

“Oh… Yes. I’m fine. I just fell.”

“You have a weak lower body, so just a little push would cause you to fall. Look, you’re covered in water. There’s no way around this.”

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“Ah…”

The Normal Goblin pouted his lips. Ko Byeong-gap smiled and turned his head.

“Sabung.”

“Yes, yes! Lord, what is it?”

“Come here. Lend me your ear.”

He summoned Sabung and whispered into his ear.

“Go get Dorma and Doran.”

“Oh, I see!”

Sabung ran out. Ko Byeong-gap spoke to the rest of the crew this time.

“You all, go back. It’s late at night.”

“Yes, Lord, have a good night’s sleep!”

The Goblins followed the order without a murmur. However, Ea hesitated with anxious eyes.

“You’re alright, aren’t you? I’m a little worried.”

“That’s enough. It’s okay, so go back and sleep.”

“Really?”

“It’s true.”

“… Okay, then I’ll trust you and go back. I hope you solve it well through conversation.”

All the spectators were sent back. As soon as that happened, his face turned cold again. Ko Byeong-gap sighed and turned away. Marilyn was still sitting down with hollow eyes.

“Are you going to keep on doing that? Why don’t you go sit down?”

“Oh… yes, I will.”

Her voice and spirit had watered down. She obediently followed his word while Ko Byeong-gap sat back down. There was silence for a while, which was natural since the atmosphere became heavy due to the fuss. Somehow, he felt like he had pressed the wrong button.

“I apologize for what happened earlier. I think I got too worked up, but I’m their Lord, and I had to take proper action. I hope you don’t feel too bad.”

“No, it’s not… In fact, I didn’t act right either. It’s just that…”

Marilyn pursed her lips. Even in that trivial act, he clearly felt her troubled feelings.

“But I’m so confused. I’m… I’m so unfamiliar with this whole situation, and it’s hard to accept. My kind… I want to see my kind.”

She looked like she was about to cry as if he had stabbed her. She said she missed her kind, which meant she couldn’t recognize the Goblins as her kin. In fact, it wasn’t that he didn’t understand her feelings at all. Marilyn and Doran were certainly different types.

‘Doran was in a blank state at first.’

When Doran first appeared, she was a blank slate. She didn’t know anything, so she didn’t have to get confused. However, Marilyn was different. She obviously knew something. Therefore, she felt the gap between her existing knowledge and this new information.

‘Is Marilyn an ancient being?’

It was hard to accept, but it seemed so. Even the ice chamber where she was asleep gave off such nuance.

‘If she’s really ancient, that would be hard. In terms of human beings, she went as far back as a monkey.’

Ko Byeong-gap took the cigarette pack out of his pockets. He didn’t take one out and bite it. He just fiddled with it.

“Wait a minute. The guy you want will be here soon.”

“Huh? Are you sure? Is my kind on the way?”

Marilyn lifted her head suddenly.

“Yeah, I called them, so they’ll be here soon.”

Her face glowed. Marilyn stared at the door with excitement.

‘I’m glad I have Doran.’

If she saw Doran, she might get some rest. For reference, Doran was at the west gate on duty that day. If he knew this would happen, he would’ve called her from the very beginning. Ko Byeong-gap had a bitter taste.

A few awkward minutes passed like that. Finally, the door opened, and someone entered. Marilyn rose with high expectations, but she soon became sullen.

“Lord, I heard you called for us.”

It was Dorma who entered, and he was startled when he saw Marilyn.

“Oh, she’s awake.”

“Now… Wait a minute. He’s… He’s not the kind I’m looking for! Ah, that’s…”

“Lord! I’m here!”

“Oh!”

Following Dorma, Doran immediately came in. Her forehead was covered with sweat, and her hair was scattered. As soon as she heard the call, she ran.

“Oh, the girl is awake. Is that why you called me?”

“Well, for one thing, or another. Come here and sit down.”

“Yes!”

“I see.”

Doran wasn’t as happy as expected. On the other hand, Marilyn’s response was dramatic. She shook her arms and let out a hoarse sound.

“Ah… ah…”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Ah!”

“Huh?”

Marilyn jumped in and hugged Doran. She cried like a child and rubbed her face against Doran with tears and a runny nose. Of course, Doran was frightened.

“Hey, this is crazy! I’m asking you something, you dirty…! Get off me!”

“Ah! Doran! Doran! You’re alive! Alive! Wah!”

“What are you talking about? I’m alive. Are you dead? Oh, don’t rub me!”

‘What?!’

When Marilyn called out Doran’s name, Ko Byeong-gap was surprised. How did she know her name when she wasn’t introduced yet? And what about being alive?

“Are you sure you want to die? Go away, you idiot!”

“Ouch!”

Doran loathed and pushed Marilyn roughly. Pushed away, Marilyn looked more shocked than ever.

“D-Doran? Why? Why are you rejecting me?”

“Oh, you’re annoying! You’re all over me! Do you know me? When did we meet? Keep your distance!”

Doran wiped her face with the sleeves of her robe.

“Lord! She must be crazy! Can’t we just send her to Somnium?”

‘Why would I send her to Somnium?’

He wanted to ask many questions, but the priority was to calm down the overheated situation. Ko Byeong-gap carefully calmed the two Goblins down.

“Both of you, calm down and sit down.”

“Doran? Don’t you recognize me? No, that’s ridiculous. You can’t not know me!”

“What the hell are you talking about? I’ve never seen anything like you before.”

“Marilyn! Doran! Both of you, be quiet. Don’t open your mouth until I permit you.”

“…”

The two women were forced to shut their mouths when Ko Byeong-gap threatened them. After all the trouble, everyone sat down.

Dorma didn’t seem to understand the situation while Doran sulked. Marilyn stretched her arms, so Ko Byeong-gap hurried to the center.

“Now, Marilyn, let’s start with who you are.”

***

“I am the 89th deputy commander of the Mandara Knights and the seventh concubine of King Landreal.”

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Marilyn began the story with a mournful voice. The first was a story about her personal identity.

In ancient Ashvilam, there was a group of armed forces named Mandara. The most elite agents that guarded the queen and their combat power were different from ordinary soldiers.

Marilyn was the vice-captain. Thanks to her excellent skills and outstanding beauty, she rose to the throne as a wife. Although she was a concubine, her history was surprising, but more shocking content followed.

“Doran was my favorite student. Although she wasn’t an official knight, she was a promising student… Doran, do you really not recognize me?”

She looked at Doran with faint eyes while the three of them were surprised.

“I… I was your favorite student? What the hell are you talking about? I don’t know anyone like you. I saw you for the first time today!”

“Doran, hold on. Hey, Marilyn. Are you sure? You’re not mistaken?”

“Absolutely not. There’s no way I wouldn’t recognize Doran!”

She strongly denied it.

“Your parents, Eli and Hertha, were my subordinates. However, in the midst of repeated wars, it finally made its mark. They always talked about you like a habit. They asked me to look after you when they die.”

“Parents? I… I…”

“I’ve seen you since you were a baby. I’m the one who gave you the name Doran. I raised you as a knight according to Eli and Hertha’s wishes.”

Doran’s expression showed extreme confusion. Of course, secrets like her birth were being mentioned one after another.

“You called me Godmother and followed me well. I thought you were my real daughter. I’ve always wanted to adopt you, but… I couldn’t because I was going to be his concubine. It’s… It’s always been on my mind. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! I don’t know anyone like you! I don’t know!”

“Doran, sit down.”

Doran blushed and rose to her feet. Ko Byeong-gap talked her down.

“Marilyn, Doran’s memory isn’t perfect right now.”

“What do you mean her memory isn’t perfect? Are you telling me she lost her memories?”

“You can say that.”

“Ah…”

Marilyn was discouraged. Ironically, Ko Byeong-gap couldn’t afford to sympathize with her grief since he was confused with other things.

‘You mean Doran was Marilyn’s companion? What about the other Goblins in the Ancient Shop?’

Looking back, there was more than one strange thing. This was the only case when buying Female Goblins in the Ancient Shop. Weren’t there many names to choose from?

He didn’t think much about it at the time. He just thought it might be something like a brand name. Still, what if they were spirits of the past, stuffed in the Ancient Shop?

“Marilyn.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know anything about an Ancient Shop?”

“Ancient Shop?”

She was lost in thought with a frown. Soon, she shook her head slowly.

“I don’t know. I’ve never heard of it before.”

“Hmm… Yeah. Let’s skip this one for now and keep talking.”

“I see.”

She started talking about the war. It was the same as the one he read on the stone tablets.

“It was about three months after the fall of the seventh Holy Warrior Al-Sharon. Through the sky…”

“Stop! You can stop talking about it.”

Ko Byeong-gap quickly cut her off and looked at Dorma’s eyes. Dorma listened to Marilyn’s story with an interesting expression, yet he showed no sign of violence, and there was one thing to be anxious about.

“Now that you’re talking about war, just tell me why you were there.”

“… I see. How did the war end? There was a big curse on us.”

“I guess you’re talking about the missing women.”

Her eyes widened.

“You know. That’s right. The women were gone.”

“That sounds strange. As far as I can see, how did you not disappear when all the women disappeared?”

“I don’t know exactly. It’s just that…”

Her words followed.

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“After the queen disappeared, the king was unstable. He didn’t step out of the palace, and he didn’t talk to anyone.”

“Landreal’s wife? He didn’t even talk to you?”

“I’m just one of the seven. The king was not very affectionate to his wives other than the queen.”

“You must be sad.”

“No… It doesn’t make sense for someone like me to be sad.”

She said so, but the mood turned out sad.

“Keep talking.”

“Yes.”

Her story continued. After the disappearance of the queen, Landreal completely shut down food and drink and became a loner.

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After not seeing even sunlight for several months, he ran out of the palace one day.

“I don’t know what the king was thinking at the time. But he called me and engraved this on my body.”

She paused, took off her coat, and revealed her sensual body with no cover, but his lust didn’t rise at all. The inscription on her body aroused his curiosity more.

Doran and Dorma looked at her with round eyes.

“Huh… That’s…”

“It’s gross.”

Her upper body was full of tattoos. It was definitely a map.

“The king said to me. Someday, someone with the same wit as I, with the spirit of a king, will wake me up, and then…”

She turned and showed her back. She pointed her finger right in the middle of her back.

“He told me to lead him to this place. The capital of Ashvilam, in the Holy Land of Vervonia.”

“Vervonia!”

“Huh! What’s wrong, Dorma?”

“Sorry, I’m sorry. It’s a very familiar name, so I didn’t know.”

Dorma replied awkwardly. Marilyn took a moment to pause and then continued.

“… Anyway, I couldn’t understand his intentions at the time, but with that situation at hand…”

She said in a resigned tone and put on her clothes again. Ko Byeong-gap stroked his chin for a while in agony and asked, “What’s there in Vervonia?”

“I don’t know. The king said you have to go there to revive Asvhilam.”

“Ah, the revival of Ashvilam.”

“He called in all the shamans in the castle to cast a spell on me. I have no memory since then. I don’t know, but I think that’s why I didn’t disappear.”

“Even though she’s a concubine, he used magic on her and used her as a guide. Landreal is insane.”

Ko Byeong-gap clicked his tongue. Marilyn dressed up again and suddenly questioned him.

“I’ve told you everything I know. Now you have to listen.”

“Hmm? What?”

“What the hell happened to Ashvilam and to us, Sarahons!”