Pao

"Pao."

"Pao...?"

"Yeah. That's your name."

The King Goblin nodded.

"Like the name?"

"Pao. Sounds strong. I like it."

Han Ji-woo grinned.

Pao was a name he'd given a pet in an RPG game he'd played briefly. It had popped into his head the moment he saw the message asking to name the King Goblin. There wasn't any special meaning behind it—he'd just made it up on the spot. But now that it was attached, it actually suited the guy's looks pretty ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠well.

He seemed so brutal at first glance.

With that dopey, loyal-dog expression, though, he had a certain cuteness to him.

"Alright then, Pao! Time to put you to work."

"Work?"

"You bet. You ate, so now you labor. What, you thought you could just lounge around all plump and happy?"

Pao shook his head vigorously, as if that was absurd.

"No way! Bro! I loyal to master!"

"...Not 'bro.' Pao."

"Ah, Pao."

Pao scratched his head sheepishly. Han Ji-woo gazed at him proudly when a quest window popped up.

The quest cleared upon taming King Goblin Pao. But the reward was still marked with question marks.

Then more system messages followed.

"...Whoa, I don't get a word of this."

It promised a quest reward, then spat out this cryptic nonsense. Han Ji-woo reread the messages, piecing together the meaning.

Hidden Space referred to this place. The creator's lingering thoughts had interfered with the quest to set the reward.

That weird guy Ferrofero sent this quest my way to begin with.

He hadn't even known this space existed until late, then scrambled to act. Meaning someone made this space without even Ferrofero knowing.

From the circumstances, the creator seemed opposed to Ferrofero.

Anyway, the reward set by those thoughts was an expanded sharing range with the dungeon.

Not just major terrain changes, but my cultivated plants can now be shared with the dungeon too?

Through Pao, he'd learned others—everyone except him—were clearing floors one by one. Han Ji-woo stroked his chin and nodded.

"So every time the terrain here changes big-time, it gets shared to the dungeon."

A fact he'd been oblivious to until now.

"And if they find hidden pieces in the dungeon, I might get a share too."

He opened the new Shared List window from the reward.

"Whoa. All this got shared without me knowing?"

It was startling at first, but the more he thought about it, the better it felt. He had no clue what the dungeon looked like or what dangers lurked there. But these shared items? Nothing bad about having them.

Then, at the bottom of the shared list, a new entry appeared: Flowers.

Meaning the sunflowers, lavender, salvia, and flower bed he'd grown here were just shared.

Nothing from the dungeon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to Hidden Space yet, though.

"Still, seeing this makes me feel a bit less alone."

Even separated, knowing fellow Earthlings were somewhere in this dungeon was comforting. Who knew? Keep developing this space, and maybe he'd communicate or meet them someday!

If they teamed up, returning to Earth might not be impossible.

Either way, he'd entered an unknown area no one else abducted to the dungeon had found. Indirectly helping those people put him ahead of previous missing groups, right?

"Alright. Feeling pumped now."

Having checked the possibilities from the quest reward, a smile bloomed on Han Ji-woo's face.

Pao, clueless why, grinned back.

"Master smiles. Pao happy too."

"Pao."

"Ah, Pao."

Lucy, not to be outdone, let out a long meow.

Nyaaoow~!

"Yeah, yeah. Our Lucy's here too."

Then a rumble echoed from Pao's belly: ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Grrrooowl!

One fish apparently wasn't enough.

Makes sense—he starved for so long.

But he couldn't hand out fish endlessly. The lake wouldn't replenish forever.

So he pulled an apple from inventory—one he'd saved earlier.

"Apple?"

"Yeah. Eat this."

"We goblins carnivores. No fruit."

"Then you never tried an apple?"

"Nope."

"It's delicious. Try it."

A goblin eating fruit? It felt off, but it was master's order, so Pao took a big bite without complaint.

Crunch!

But then...

"...!"

Sweet-tart juice flooded his mouth from the flesh. Stunned, Pao's jaws worked furiously.

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

The more he chewed, the sweeter the juice gushed like a waterfall.

Gulp!

Pao's eyes went wide—first apple ever.

"This delicious!"

"Told ya."

"More, master."

"I can give more. But no work, no reward."

"Work?"

"Hand."

Pao extended a hand, and Han Ji-woo dropped the apple seeds he'd collected.

"Apple seeds. Try sprouting one."

Han Ji-woo wasn't asking a goblin this lightly. First apple he ate? He'd saved the seeds and planted them. No growth ever showed.

After, he stored all seeds in inventory. No farming knowledge—didn't want to waste them blindly.

Smart call. Apple seeds need maturity check first. Brown ones are ripe, high germination. Drying boosts maturity.

Moist soil like culture medium ups rates. Or sprout in wet cotton first.

Han Ji-woo knew none of this—never grown cactus, let alone apple trees.

Why ask Pao? His status window right after taming.

Base stats beat Lucy's except agility and mana. Without hunger, he wouldn't have lost so easily.

Last line: starvation debuff, all stats down 20.

Not crucial for Han Ji-woo. He struck gold with Great Harvest.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Great Harvest: Grasps basic farming knowledge. Crops under direct management grow rapidly. Guarantees bountiful harvest regardless of climate/weather.

Pao awakened it first in the dungeon—starving, chased by minions and human mage. Desperate wish to feed himself and subordinates anytime, anywhere birthed it.

But no chance to use—no crops.

Now, time had come.

"Got it, master! Planting apple seeds."

Pao started around the sturdy apple tree. Sharp claws dug thunk!, seed in, soil covered. Repeat.

Lucy, curious, wagged her stubby tail like a worm and approached.

Pao kept digging, oblivious.

Thunk! Hole dug, reaching for seed—

Nyaa?

Lucy leaped in. Pao freaked, toppled back.

"Uwaaack!"

Trauma from first beating lingered.

Oblivious, Lucy mounted him, purring and kneading like dough.

Pao, helpless against master-fist-sized foe, sweated bullets.

"M-Master! Help! Help!"

Han Ji-woo approached giggling, scooped Lucy, patted her.

Pao resumed planting.

Spaced properly, even immature seeds matured on their own, prepping to sprout.

Soon, growth meters appeared over them.

"Ooh!"

Skill power was mighty. Seeds that ignored him sprouted growth bars via Pao!

"All planted, master!"

Pao approached, beaming innocently after ten seeds.

"Good job, good job."

Labor done—pay up. Two apples handed over.

"Don't toss those seeds. Bring 'em to me."

"Got it!"

No need for ten-plus trees. Space finite—flowers, expansions ahead.

Growth bars rose fast; sprouts emerged.

Han Ji-woo hummed, casting Growth Acceleration on the sprouts.

* * *

"What am I looking at right now! Is that Han Ji-woo still alive?!"

Ferrofero's eyes trembled watching the crystal orb scene.

Goblins thrown to kill humans—now grilling fish, munching apples together? Chatting by the fire, thawing out.

Unseen since dungeon creation. Ferrofero smacked his forehead.

"How is this possible?!"

Appointed manager, he'd never seen human-monster harmony. Races meant to kill each other, sharing warm exchanges?

"Cheating, Han Ji-woo!"

Bam! He slammed a paw on the table, leaping up. Trembling, he glared, face twisted in outrage.

But weirdly... Initial shock and anger faded. Watching longer, his chest tickled oddly.

Not laughing uproariously, but everyday talk built understanding.

Gazing into the orb, Ferrofero unwittingly projected himself in.

Sitting among them by fire, tearing grilled fish. Listening to human tales, goblin stories. Occasionally petted on head, face...

Purrr~

Such fantasies drew involuntary purrs.

"Gah!"

He snapped alert, shaking head, yelling inwardly.

No! Snap out of it! I'm the manager—must be ruthless! ...For our princess...

Last words dripped unknown sorrow.

Even after, he couldn't tear eyes from the orb for a long while.