To the Village
There was no one left standing.
Some had run away, and the ones who desperately tried to break into the house—Juhwan had killed them all with his own hands. Not a single one remained.
Juhwan breathed heavily and looked around.
“...”
The ground was covered in blood and filth from the goblins’ bodies. Their once bright eyes were now crushed and dull, like smashed organs.
The small, peaceful house in the mountain—once almost like a picture—was completely ruined.
Juhwan’s face twisted in anger. He breathed harshly, as if spitting something out. The smell of blood and something rotten filled his nose.
He began walking along the fence.
The ground was sticky with blood, clinging to the bottom of his shoes with every step, as if trying to hold him back.
Ignoring it, Juhwan checked each fallen goblin carefully.
He made sure none were alive. None pretending to be dead.
Thankfully, every single one was truly dead.
Only then did he feel a little relief.
He raised his fingers and created a small flame.
He needed to check how much mana he had left.
The flame looked the same, but he could feel it—he had used quite a lot. Toward the end of the fight, his power had weakened slightly.
It wasn’t obvious, but he could feel it.
Even now, something felt lacking.
If more goblins came, it might be difficult to fight again.
His heart grew uneasy.
The fence was also damaged in many places. The goblins had nearly climbed over.
Animals might not get in—but goblins easily could.
After confirming there were no goblins left in the forest, Juhwan walked to the gate.
As he approached, he heard Lizzy’s voice from inside.
“Juhwan?”
Before he could answer, the gate opened quickly.
Lizzy ran out.
She must have been waiting, listening carefully the whole time.
Juhwan hugged her tightly as she rushed into his arms.
He wanted to say “You did well”, but no words came out.
Instead, he pressed his lips gently to her forehead.
Dorothy peeked out from behind the gate.
She was holding the horned rabbit in her arms.
When Juhwan opened one arm, Dorothy ran to him and clung to his leg.
“Lizzy… Dorothy…”
His voice trembled.
He had been afraid.
No matter how hard he tried, sometimes things could still be lost.
That is what it means to be human.
Juhwan held them both tightly and took a deep breath.
Their warmth reached him.
Only then did it feel real.
They were alive.
They survived.
He protected them—or rather, they all endured together.
Even the baby rabbit helped.
Tears filled Juhwan’s eyes.
“Thank you.”
He said it to Lizzy, Dorothy, and the baby rabbit.
Thank you for trying. Thank you for fighting with me.
Dorothy looked up at him, crying softly.
“Daddy is crying… just like Dorothy…”
Of course he would cry.
Thinking he might lose them… and then realizing they were still here…
Tears poured out like rain.
The three of them held each other and cried together.
After a while, Juhwan stood up.
They had to leave before sunset.
He didn’t know much about goblins, but many creatures became more active at night.
Night was dangerous for humans.
He looked at Lizzy’s tear-stained face and spoke firmly.
“Lizzy, we’re leaving. We’re leaving the mountain. Right now.”
“Take only important things. Hurry. We go to the village.”
“We need a cart and a horse… and then we leave the village too.”
Living here could have worked.
They could hunt and survive.
Maybe even live comfortably.
But now that he knew about goblins—
Staying here was no longer an option.
They would warn the village, get what they needed, and leave.
Staying in the village might not even be allowed.
They had given him a house and a wife for a reason—to make him a hunter.
They wouldn’t let him go easily.
Juhwan’s expression darkened.
He remembered something from Earth.
About medieval times—how peasants were tied to land.
Back then, he thought:
“Are they more miserable than me? Or am I more miserable?”
Now he knew.
There are always people more unfortunate.
The villagers might not even be able to leave.
Even if goblins came, they might be forced to stay.
But Juhwan was different.
He had no reason to stay.
If they tried to keep Lizzy there—
“Then I’ll fight.”
Even if it became violent, he wouldn’t step back.
Lizzy quickly wiped her tears and nodded.
Then she looked up at him.
“There’s a cart in the village… a big one.”
She forced a smile.
“We can trade wolf pelts for it. They don’t use it anyway.”
She knew too.
The villagers wouldn’t let them go easily.
Still, she tried to stay strong.
Juhwan gently pressed his forehead against hers.
Drawing strength from her warmth.
“It’ll be okay.”
Lizzy smiled and took a deep breath.
Then she went inside to pack.
Furs, cloth, food—everything they might need.
Juhwan sent Dorothy inside and went out to gather weapons.
Knives, spears, axes—anything useful.
They might need everything.
For a moment, he thought about leaving without going to the village.
But he shook his head.
Impossible.
They had a child. Supplies. No easy way to survive without tools.
This wasn’t modern Earth.
No stores. No easy food.
And—
“The goblins might follow.”
They needed to go far. Fast.
“If we get a cart, we leave tonight.”
His hands moved faster.
Meanwhile, Gus hurried toward the village.
The adventurers had arrived earlier than expected.
There was no need to wait anymore.
Today—it would all end.
He went to the goblin camp again.
The goblins were agitated. Fighting among themselves.
He spread musk powder lightly across trees.
Not too much—just enough to guide them.
One goblin reacted.
Good.
He continued toward the village, leaving a faint trail.
“This should be enough.”
Then he turned back.
Now he needed to bring Juhwan.
“I hope he’s alive…”
But when he reached the cabin—
He froze.
“What…?”
Goblin corpses were everywhere.
Juhwan had killed them all.
Even Gus hadn’t expected this.
Some bodies were burned—from the inside.
“Two abilities…?”
A rare thing. Almost unheard of.
Gus let out a small laugh.
The village chief was finished.
There was an old law.
Anyone who hid or sold information about a mage—
Was executed.
The chief had done exactly that.
Gus had planned this.
From the beginning.
The goblins had ruined his life.
But worse than goblins—
Were the villagers.
They tricked outsiders. Sent them to danger without warning.
The entire village was guilty.
And the chief most of all.
Gus calmed himself.
Now was not the time to lose focus.
He went down toward the village.
Most people from his time were gone.
But the new ones were the same.
Still repeating the same sins.
“They should all die.”
“Every last one.”
Even himself.
No one deserved to live.