“This was content that had nothing to do with the route I had planned in the first place.
Originally, I intended only to maintain a neutral trading relationship with Master Geumgang, and planned to ignore any quests arising from it.
When playing [Cthulhu World] as a game, that didn’t matter.
Because,
‘This is DLC (Downloadable Contents).’
In short, additional content unrelated to the main story.
It’s about becoming the guardian of Master Geumgang and fighting Cthulhu Mythos monsters adapted into Korean or East Asian styles—and if you only enjoy the main route, you can turn away or ignore it.
‘But that’s just an in-game setting.’
In the game, there is no scenario where Master Geumgang shows up and coerces you into a quest.
Because the trials in the DLC appear for the sake of becoming Master Geumgang, or to defend the Geumgang Hall as Master Geumgang.
‘Anyway, I rejected all of the Golden King’s proposals, yet here I am entangled.’
I didn’t simply yield to Seo Cheonseul’s threats and take on the work.
The flood was stopped, but a flood did occur in Paju. And to verify its impact on Paju and [Cthulhu World], I accepted the request.
Including Seo Cheonseul, three days of observation were enough, and now I intended to take the initiative.
“Master Geumgang, how many Dueoksini do we need to capture?”
“All of them?”
“There were many that escaped this time, but this isn’t the first occurrence. You expect me to capture every Dueoksini that’s run away? Do you know how many that is?”
“Hmm, as many as possible?”
“As many as possible—how many is that?”
“As many as will satisfy the Golden King?”
Seo Cheonseul wasn’t stupid to speak so. Conversing with a heterospecies that has no clear concept of concrete numbers, of self and other, or of individuals with personalities is exhausting.
“If I capture a lot, will the Golden King be satisfied?”
“And then?”
“You saw how they behaved, right? What did you think?”
“They didn’t seem like goblins.”
“Hmm. That too, but even though Master Geumgang appeared, they pretended to fight back, then tried to flee in the end. Look at our spoils.”
“Spoils?”
Mummies fall outside the discussion—they’re just zombies created by exposure to evil qi.
So that leaves heads and bodies filled with blood—
Logically, among a flying head and a walking torso, the torso would be easier to capture.
Yet compared to the bodies we caught, the heads outnumber them three to one.
“Kkieee!”
“Well, thanks to your skill some escaped.”
“Kkieee—”
Red puffed up proudly.
In any case, we lost two-thirds of the bodies.
Seo Cheonseul, understanding, said,
“Now I see what you mean, Mr. Kim. These creatures prioritized spiriting away the blood-filled torsos over defeating me?”
“Exactly. And if they had actively digested or used the blood as a weapon, it would have been far more dangerous. Still, while the heads charged at us, the bodies desperately ran away.”
“In that case, the Dueoksini weren’t collecting blood for their own power or satisfaction, but to tribute it to someone else?”
“That seems to be the case. What do you think?”
“Selfish Dueoksini wouldn’t do that unless they chose to serve some scoundrel who stands outside the Golden King’s embrace.”
I cheered exaggeratedly at Seo Cheonseul’s words.
“Is that the wisdom of goblins? Indeed, Master Geumgang is remarkable!”
“Oh, you didn’t know that? Anyway, Mr. Kim, it can’t be helped.”
Some abyssal entity must have taken the fugitive Dueoksini as its minions.
Seo Cheonseul thought for a moment, then asked me,
“So that’s what you wanted to say earlier?”
“I’m glad you understand.”
“Then do you also know who spirited away the Dueoksini?”
“Well....”
Seo Cheonseul looked at me expectantly. I regret to say—
“I don’t know that either.”
We lack sufficient clues.
It’s true that an abyssal entity with a particular taste for blood exists, but blood is the elixir of eternity—and abyssal entities generally prefer blood.
“But we can infer where to go next.”
“Infer?”
“Look at this.”
I pulled out a bundle of papers from my backpack. Items collected over the three days with Seo Cheonseul.
“What is this?”
“Another reason the Golden King ordered me to accompany you. This is called a news-paper.”
“A news-paper?”
“Yes, a newspaper. Humans receive local news with these.”
Out-of-towners rarely pay attention to Paju, so unless it’s a high-level incident, there’s no article about Paju.
Hence a dedicated newspaper for Paju residents.
“If you had this, why didn’t you use it sooner?”
You hadn’t listened to me until now—what are you whining about?
And there’s one more reason.
“Because until now, it was unclear what I needed to track.”
All kinds of incidents occur in Paju. With only crime articles, there’s no way to know which concerns my target.
But now I’ve identified the objective and discovered the murder method—so I just assemble the puzzle pieces one by one.
“Let’s see....”
Murder, murder, murder, accidental death, sudden death, destruction, explosion, fire, an article about the foreign affairs office’s recent return, an editorial about aliens. Today’s special report speculates that the mayor of Paju might actually be a puppet brainwashed by heterospecies.
From those, I selected a few accidental death cases.
“Desiccated corpses, head thievery, people missing with only clothes left behind.”
I summoned magic to lay out a large map of Paju on the ground.
Incident sites appeared scattered over it.
“And add our current location.”
The Waste Alley incident isn’t reported. That was a missing puzzle piece.
“And if I add the directions those bloated ones fled—”
From the dots on the map, lines extended toward a region of Paju.
“Is it there? Where is that?”
“Bongilcheon.”
“Bongilcheon? So you’re saying there’s someone there serving the Dueoksini? Do you know what it is?”
“Who knows. Paju’s situation has changed so much lately.”
Perhaps the Bongilcheon gang remains, but a new cult might have taken root recently.
“Alright, then Mr. Kim, let’s go.”
“Wait a moment.”
“Hm?”
“There’s something we need to be sure of before we go.”
“What is it?”
“What was the content of Master Geumgang’s request?”
Seo Cheonseul scratched her chin and answered,
“To help capture Dueoksini, right?”
“So I just need to capture the Dueoksini?”
“Oh, yes. I understand what you’re saying now.”
Seo Cheonseul slowly nodded and continued,
“I’ll change the request. Let’s crush the scoundrel who bribed the Dueoksini along with me.”
The abyssal entity itself probably won’t appear.
A human cultist—or some relic or spirit equivalent—will likely serve as intermediary.
“Agreed. But there’s a condition for changing the request.”
“What is it? You want more treasure than promised?”
One S-rank artifact.
And one hundred gold coins blessed by the Golden King.
‘Hundred gold coins sounds funny though.’
Ten don of gold equals one nyang.
One hundred nyang is about three hundred million won.
And with the Golden King’s blessing, it’s worth two to three times more.
If sold wisely, it could multiply six or seven times.
“That treasure is sufficient. Instead, let’s add another condition.”
“What do you want?”
“From now on, I decide the course of action.”
“That is—”
Seo Cheonseul was about to protest with a sulky face, but
“I know what you want to say, but there’s a reason I must decide the course of action.”
“A reason?”
“First, Master Geumgang, you’re misusing the Bagua Plate.”
“What?”
“How to explain... This isn’t Guilo. I’m not only human but Kim Sinhwa, a being separate from other humans. You’re seeking ‘Dueoksini’ in this world, so the Bagua Plate # Nоvеlight # won’t operate properly.”
“Ah. I see what you mean.”
Just as Seo Cheonseul, from a human perspective, finds linear time and logic strange, she finds the ‘rigid’ structure of reality—that walking east leads you east—hard to grasp.
“You should have told me sooner.”
“I thought you wouldn’t listen even if I told you.”
“Hmph, you’re a spiteful Mr. Kim.”
“In any case, in Guilo it might be different, but here it’s right for me to take direction. Understood?”
Seo Cheonseul silently manipulated the Bagua Plate.
It will take a moment.
“Also, there are cursed items piling up at home. After this is done, take them to the Geumgang Hall and exchange them.”
At my words, Seo Cheonseul hastily set aside the Bagua Plate and replied,
“You mean you’ll use me as your errand runner?”
“No, I’m asking a favor. When I go, I spend weeks, but you, Master Geumgang, can come and go in a flash, right?”
“Hmm.”
“And one last thing.”
“So many things?”
I shrugged and continued,
“Now tell me honestly. Until now you’ve just followed, but from now on you’ll carry dangerous or uneasy elements and can’t move freely.”
“Honestly?”
“Yes. Honestly. And what was that when we fought the Dueoksini earlier? Fake weakness has limits—anyone could see you were testing me, right?”
“Hmm—.”
“Do you know how frustrating it was to watch? Conspiring and setting traps don’t suit Master Geumgang at all. So just speak openly.”
Originally Seo Cheonseul is a more forthright and bold character.
Seeing her hide her true feelings and act as a schemer embarrasses me.
“Mr. Kim.”
Seo Cheonseul slowly flipped her mask over.
A half-face goblin mask snarling in anger. The uncovered half of her face contorts into the same enraged expression, snarling.
“I hate you.”
“......”
I couldn’t respond for a moment.
I knew she’d say something like that, but instead of ‘this body’ and ‘Mr. Kim,’ she used ‘I’ and ‘you.’
“I really hate you. You don’t please me.”
Seo Cheonseul stamped her foot as if unable to contain her anger.
Boom! Grrrrumble—
A tremendous vibration spread in all directions. It was like an earthquake, and her voice thundered.
“That is why I have received permission from the Golden King!”
Krrr— Rumble!
I couldn’t afford the embarrassment of being knocked down by the shockwaves. I used magic to protect my body and listened to Seo Cheonseul’s declaration.
“If you fall short of the Golden King’s devotion, I will gouge out your eyes and crush your hands.”
It was almost like replying to a raging storm, but I feigned composure and answered,
“How thrilling. So after three days of observation, what kind of person do you think I am?”
“These three days were a mess. You offered no proper alternatives or wisdom, and showed no special power or skill. I was leaning toward smashing you.”
That had been deliberate staging. Now Seo Cheonseul must realize it. So I asked her,
“And now?”
“Well? I don’t particularly like the wisdom of Mr. Kim, but for now I think it’s rational.”
“Master Geumgang speaking frankly is refreshing.”
“Bahahaha— yes, refreshing.”
Seo Cheonseul laughed heartily.
“Bahahaha!”
Her laughter generated destructive shockwaves in every direction. Its force was completely different from when we fought the Dueoksini.
“So what do you intend to do?”
“If things get more dangerous, I’ll leave you to see if you can handle it alone, and observe what you do. Hmm— setting you a trap might be good too.”
Her mode of thought is so different it’s hard to understand, but nonetheless it’s refreshing.
“Very well. So it’s decided?”
“Yes. Then how long to that place called Bongilcheon?”
“On foot, about four to five hours.”
“That’s bothersome. Which direction is it?”
“That way.”
“I see. I’ve witnessed your cunning speech, Mr. Kim. Now it’s time to show you the cunning of goblins.”
