Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Goblin Cave (3)
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What's that dwarf's name again?
It's Chase.
Isn't that the bastard who was bawling his eyes out and throwing a fit last time??
Yeah, that's him.
It's really ironic.
That's the exquisite part.
Whatever the reason he came in, he has to deal with his own karma lol.
I'm not defending him or anything, but he seems kinda pitiful.
Having no memory and repeating that shitshow... sigh...
Honestly though, I think he's the type who deserves to die.
From the moment he stepped in here?
I think that dwarf's fate was sealed already.
Waves always get blocked in the end.
It's a life-or-death showdown between the Dungeon Master and the intruders.
Dreamland feels like the blockade holds even outside the dungeon.
lolololololololololololol
Why the sudden laughter??
I can suddenly predict Newbie's tantrum.
????
This devil bastard is 100% gonna do it.
What do you mean, what???
Hmm... should I say it or not...
Nah, just watch.
You'll find out soon enough anyway.
"You yanked that tooth out so roughly, and it doesn't hurt?"
"Yeah, I told you it doesn't. Look at the surface. It's perfectly clean. No blood, no wound."
Gronak's speech was slurred, but not to the point of being unintelligible.
Chase checked Gronak's teeth and stroked his shortened beard.
No wound, no bleeding—strange in every way, but at least it was a blessing in disguise.
Still, even if he was distracted by that minion, pulling out a live tooth without a scream was suspicious.
'Is this that woman's ability?'
Chase let out a sigh.
"So what the hell was that crazy behavior? She looks dangerous as hell. Even if she's pretty, you don't know what might happen. Saying 'yes' like that is just fucking absurd."
"No, I told you just now. I don't even know why I acted like that... It was like being bewitched by a beautiful ghost or something."
Summarizing the characteristics of the minion they just met:
1. Mysteriously beautiful, impossible to look away from. Staring at her face feels hypnotic.
2. Incapacitates first, then strips the target of all possessions.
3. Sells the looted items to intruders and takes payment.
4. Gives a perfume bottle as a gift. (Intent unclear.)
Putting it all together, she's not a merchant—she's a damn pretty bandit.
"We need to be careful not to get charmed."
Judging from Gronak's state, if they'd kept trading...
He wouldn't just need dentures; he might have ended up disabled for life.
"Next time she shows up, don't look at her face no matter what. You could die. Got it?"
"Got it. Got it. But she has our stuff. That means she has the escape scroll too. What do we do? Trading a bottle of water and two loaves of bread for eight front teeth... fuck..."
This was definitely a big problem.
Food and water aside, all their other items too.
Even if they luckily found the Elevator to Another Zone, without recovering the escape scroll, they'd be in the worst-case scenario.
There were two more zones ahead that would show this kind of ruthlessness.
Having or not having the escape scroll would make a huge psychological difference.
They had entered this dungeon for investigation purposes only.
'Trading is the last resort. Save it as a final option.'
Better to think of a solution slowly.
They weren't in a hurry, but rushing wouldn't help.
There had to be a way to get it back.
"Chase."
"Yeah."
"Why do you look like you're chewing shit since earlier? Are you that worried about my teeth?"
There was one thing nagging at Chase.
Assuming they came to this cave in the previous raid.
If they couldn't find any method besides trading...
What price had he paid the merchant to get the escape scroll back?
'Not the beard.'
Chase fiddled with his short beard.
"Hey, check this out. Even without front teeth, food chews fine."
"You lunatic. Ration it."
They needed some rest today.
Encountering anomalies took a massive psychological toll.
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Dungeon Exploration Day 2
Chase opened his eyes.
Looking up at the sky, the sun was rising.
Morning came to Dreamland's Zone 3.
Not figuratively—literally.
All their sleeping bags and such had been confiscated by the merchant.
So the two slept directly on the dirt floor.
Luckily, it wasn't too cold.
Temperate air, no wind—no worry about catching a cold.
Anyway.
"Kuhhh..."
Unlike Gronak, who was snoring spread-eagled,
Chase stretched diligently.
Today, they would properly investigate the cave interior.
Floors 1 through 80 was substantial size—they needed to hustle.
As he went to wake the sleeping Gronak,
seven goblins approached from the distant entrance.
Chase's expression hardened.
Could those bastards come outside the cave?
He'd thought the outside was safe, but apparently not.
"Wake up. Goblins are coming."
"Wh-what!?"
At the word "goblins," the sleepy Gronak shot up.
"H-hey... aren't we screwed then? What now?"
"Calm down. They're still a ways off. Spray that perfume from the merchant yesterday."
Spritz spritz.
The two dwarves hurriedly coated themselves in the stench.
"Fuck, it reeks. Will this work?"
"Dunno... stay quiet for now."
The goblins entered range.
They sniffed, but didn't scream like yesterday.
They just ignored the two dwarves and passed by.
'Where are they going?'
Chase and Gronak exchanged glances.
Then cautiously followed the goblins.
There was a tree.
It bore fruit-like things.
Up close, it wasn't fruit—it was rotting meat.
No such thing as a tree that grew rotting meat existed.
But after yesterday's events, they could accept it without much fuss.
The goblins began harvesting the rotting meat.
Then shouted at the two dwarves hiding in the bushes.
"■■! ■■! ■■ ■■!"
They flinched, but Chase kept calm.
No hostility like yesterday.
'Are they telling us to work...?'
The goblins pointed at the tree.
Chase swallowed hard.
He had to think it over.
One mistake meant instant death.
What did this phenomenon mean?
Should they do as the goblins said?
Or ignore them and enter the cave?
Unlike Chase, who couldn't decide easily,
Gronak strode confidently toward the goblins.
He helped them harvest meat from the tree.
Gronak gave Chase an OK sign to come over.
Unwilling but with no other choice, Chase followed his lead this time.
And so the dwarves
labored with the goblins until sunset.
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It didn't take long to prove Gronak's action right.
The sun set.
A red-hatted goblin approached the dwarves who had finished working.
"■■■■."
The goblin handed each of them a coin stamped with braille.
"......"
Chase blinked.
Working like miners in a dungeon was ridiculous enough, but getting paid in coins? Absurd.
The goblins entered the cave before the sun fully vanished.
Did they absolutely not come out at night?
Chase mentally noted the new info.
"My take is, in this place, we gotta act like 'goblins.' If they catch on we're not, we get attacked—something like that."
Gronak suddenly spoke up.
"Evidence?"
"None. Just a hunch. What's the smart guy's theory?"
Chase stroked his beard.
Gronak's guess was reasonable.
From the moment they applied the stench, the goblins hadn't been hostile.
"I agree. So far, we know they use language and distinguish by scent. Inside the cave, hand signals would be best."
Gronak nodded.
"Let's head in before sunset. Gotta scout the cave to reach the next zone."
"Sounds good."
They entered the cave.
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No crazy bullshit like yesterday.
No goblins screamed when the two dwarves entered.
At least while the stench lingered on them.
No worry about being swarmed by hordes.
But.
'Just acting like goblins isn't enough.'
On the first floor lobby, big goblins roamed.
They clubbed goblins without coins repeatedly.
Sometimes bones broke.
Others bled from the head and died on the spot—plenty in view.
'Gotta act like a diligent goblin.'
There was a famous saying: When in North Kingdom, follow North Kingdom's laws.
Goblin Cave was the same.
Their den, their rules.
The picture was clarifying.
He had a feel for what to do.
'Let's go.'
Chase signaled Gronak.
He nodded.
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Chase split the first floor in half.
He and Gronak each took a section to scout the cave.
During the search, he found a memo on the floor.
It looked torn from a book, edges ragged.
'What's this?'
Familiar handwriting caught his eye.
Chase instantly knew the writer.
'It's my writing?'
Why was it on the floor?
Doubt aside, he picked it up and read.
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I can say without a doubt that stepping foot in Dreamland was the dumbest thing I've ever done.
■■■ or whatever, ■■ or whatever... those were just tiny fragments.
The real horror was separate.
The thought that we could conquer this dungeon.
We'd gather info and raid properly later.
How idiotic that was only hits me now.
I want to go back.
I want to go back.
I want to go back.
Not outside.
Before starting the 6th raid.
I don't know.
Even if I get out, can things go back to normal?
I can't face the sins I've committed.
At least losing memories is a mercy.
Better to live as a coward than die bravely.
That's certain.
If.
Just if.
If I get a chance to forget everything here and live a new life.
I won't waste it.
God, please give me one chance to fix everything...
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"......"
Chase burned the memo.
Then resumed walking.
Forged info.
There must be a trap that fakes handwriting too.
Even if it really was his writing.
He saw nothing.
No problem then.
Don't mind it.
The moment their resolve breaks, only death awaits.
Chase pressed forward.