When Dorothy Gets a Little Older, She’ll Make Fire Too
The horse shook its head violently.
The goblins were still far away, but the horse seemed to know they were dangerous. It stomped its feet and moved its body restlessly, as if it was panicking.
Damn it!
Juhwan pulled the reins, trying to change the direction. But it was his first time, so it didn’t go well. The horse didn’t listen properly. It seemed frightened by the screams of goblins and people.
From inside the wagon, Lizzy spoke.
“Juhwan, should I do it?”
“No.”
Juhwan answered shortly.
In the distance, he saw a woman being grabbed by goblins. Two, three, four of them kept gathering around her. Her tearing screams reached all the way here.
No one tried to help her.
Everyone was busy running away.
“Stay inside. Please.”
He knew Lizzy wanted to help him, but she must not come out. The goblins outside were crazed. They were clearly targeting Lizzy.
“....”
It seemed Lizzy wanted to say something, but she stayed quiet. Silence filled the wagon for a moment.
Juhwan knew his mana was not fully recovered. The power he used earlier had not completely returned. It wasn’t full.
He would protect his wife and child no matter what.
But he couldn’t ignore the possibility that he might fail.
What if he made a small mistake?
What if, even for a moment, he couldn’t use fire?
His heart turned cold.
He didn’t want even the smallest chance of failure.
Inside the hard wagon was definitely safer.
The horse neighed nervously and moved anxiously. The number of goblins was increasing. Probably because there were many people here, so they were gathering in this direction.
Juhwan pulled the reins again and again, trying to calm the horse.
“Woah, woah…”
Finally, the horse turned and began running properly.
There were too many goblins near the front gate. The horse was too scared to go there.
Only the back gate.
There was no guarantee it would be safe. When he entered earlier, the gate had been open. Gus must have done it—to lure the goblins. Juhwan had closed it, but Gus probably opened it again.
Still, the wagon could only pass through the front gate or the back gate. Other broken fences were not wide enough.
He couldn’t abandon the wagon.
So the only option left was the back gate.
The wagon ran past people screaming as they fled.
But when they reached the back gate—
The village wall was burning fiercely.
From one side to the other, everything he could see was on fire.
“This isn’t a natural fire.”
Something had been used to start it. Somehow, the entire wall had been set on fire instantly.
Juhwan turned the wagon again. Goblins near the back gate were already rushing toward them.
What should he do?
His mind couldn’t settle.
Where should he go? How could he protect his family?
A goblin charged toward the wagon from the front.
Juhwan leaned his body and reached out his hand. His fingers didn’t quite touch—but he pushed mana forward with force.
Flames burst from the goblin’s body, even with a small distance between them.
Good.
Juhwan straightened his body and pulled the reins hard.
There were definitely more goblins than before at the cabin. Gus must have gathered them here on purpose. Across the whole village, there were even more.
“....”
He couldn’t trust the villagers.
They were the ones who left him and his family to die in the mountains.
If they had a chance, they would use Lizzy and Dorothy as bait to save themselves.
Then how?
How could he protect them alone?
His chest burned.
He never thought having something to protect would hurt this much.
It felt like his heart was burning to ashes.
At that moment, Lizzy spoke through the small gap near the driver’s seat.
“Juhwan, it’s okay. Don’t worry. I won’t go out. I’ll stay here. Inside is safe. Don’t worry about us—just fight. I’m not afraid. It’s okay. You’re strong. I trust you.”
Dorothy’s voice came right behind him.
“Dad! Oz is strong! Oz and Dorothy will protect you!”
“....”
Juhwan let out a breath.
They spoke bravely—but their voices were trembling.
The screams around them were growing louder.
Of course they were afraid.
I can’t be like this.
He had to stay steady.
If not, Lizzy and Dorothy would become more anxious.
Juhwan took a deep breath and smiled. He turned his head slightly and showed them a calm expression.
“It’s okay. I will protect you. Lizzy, Dorothy—I will protect you no matter what.”
After saying that, he looked around.
Even where he couldn’t see flames, smoke was rising high into the sky.
Someone was screaming in the distance—
The walls were burning.
The entire wall.
They were trapped.
They couldn’t escape.
Soon, that voice faded away, replaced again by endless screams.
“....”
Calm down. Think.
Animals get caught in traps because they panic and struggle without thinking. The more they struggle, the tighter the trap becomes.
Juhwan was in the same situation.
If he wanted to survive—
He had to stay calm.
Not far away, he saw adventurers fighting goblins together. They must have run into them while escaping the village center.
They didn’t seem to know the walls were burning yet.
They fought well.
They weren’t as strong as Juhwan, who could fight dozens alone—but they could still help.
Juhwan slowed the wagon.
This is probably part of Gus’s plan too.
He didn’t know exactly what Gus was thinking.
But the timing of the goblin attack and the adventurers’ arrival—it couldn’t be a coincidence.
Still—
Right now, they had no choice but to fight.
To survive, they had to kill the goblins.
Juhwan stopped the wagon in front of a nearby house. He struck the wooden wall with his axe to make a place to tie the reins, then quickly secured the horse.
A goblin suddenly appeared from the corner of the building.
Before it could react—
Juhwan swung his axe.
The goblin fell without even screaming. The smell of blood spread in the air.
He checked the surroundings.
No more goblins nearby.
Juhwan shouted toward the adventurers.
“Over here! Come here! There’s a fire—the walls are blocked! You can’t get out!”
The adventurers looked at him.
They could smell something burning, but from their position, they couldn’t see the wall.
They hesitated.
They weren’t sure if they could trust him.
Then—
Juhwan saw a man being caught by goblins in the distance.
He thought goblins only attacked women—
But they tore the man apart.
They were eating him.
The adventurers saw it too.
They exchanged glances—
Then ran toward Juhwan.
They must have decided cooperation was better.
As they fought off goblins and ran closer, one goblin chased the last adventurer.
Juhwan threw his axe.
It struck the goblin’s neck and shoulder.
“Thanks!”
The adventurer, breathing heavily, nodded slightly at Juhwan.
Now—
With the house and wagon behind them,
Juhwan and the adventurers stood together, weapons raised in all directions.
It had grown dark.
In the distance, flames rose high.
Heat distorted the air, making space itself look twisted—like it was being eaten.
Gus counted quietly.
Five… six… seven…
He shot arrows from a window, then stepped outside. His leg ached slightly. He had pushed himself too much today.
He let out a bitter laugh.
It didn’t matter anymore.
He wouldn’t live long anyway.
He walked past goblins he had killed with his arrows.
After limping some distance, he saw a group of goblins gathered together.
Someone seemed to be at the center—
But there were no screams.
Maybe unconscious.
Or already dead.
Gus hid behind a building and shot arrows at them.
Everything was going as planned.
After confirming the goblins had reached near the village, he spread all the remaining musk powder throughout the village.
The smell drew the goblins in—
Through the front gate, back gate, and broken fences.
Then—
He set fire to the village walls.
The fire spread instantly, surrounding the entire village.
For many years, he had secretly spread resin powder and oil along the walls.
Now, the fire would burn for a long time.
It wouldn’t go out easily.
No one could escape.
Some villagers might survive.
But the chief—
Even if he lived, he would die horribly later.
By the lord.
A faint smile appeared on Gus’s face.
His own end would be similar.
Would he die by goblins first?
Or be beaten to death by villagers?
Or would he live long enough to see all the goblins die?
No matter what—
Until either the goblins or the people were gone,
No one would leave this place alive.
Gus grinned and shot another arrow.
A few goblins ran toward him.
Hmph. Slow.
As he drew his bow again—
He remembered Juhwan’s eyes from earlier.
Cold.
Like ice.
Juhwan carried the same anger Gus had held for years.
“Trust no one.”
Gus muttered inside his mind.
“The only one you can trust… is yourself.”
That was his final lesson to Juhwan.
“I’m a little scared…”
Dorothy whispered to herself and hugged Oz tightly.
Oz squirmed and kicked her lightly with its feet.
“Stay still, Oz. That hurts.”
It didn’t really hurt—but hitting others was bad. She had to teach him.
Lizzy was looking outside through the small gap, watching Juhwan fight.
Outside was terrifying.
Thudding sounds. Strange screams.
Dorothy didn’t want to look—
But somehow, not looking felt even scarier.
She held Oz tighter.
Oz kicked again.
“Stay still.”
Dorothy crawled next to Lizzy and peeked outside.
Her eyes widened.
Wow…!
Her dad swung his axe widely—then stretched out his hand.
And then—
The goblin burst into flames.
“Wow…”
She whispered without realizing.
Her dad used to make only small flames—
How was it so big now?
It was strange.
But amazing.
Dorothy looked at Oz excitedly.
“Oz! That’s my dad! My dad! Isn’t he amazing? He’s a mage! A fire mage!”
Dorothy wanted to become a mage too.
“Since I’m Dad’s daughter, I can become a mage too!”
She stretched her hand forward like him.
“Fire!”
Again—
“Fire!”
Nothing happened.
Oz was watching.
Dorothy felt embarrassed.
She looked down at Oz.
“When I get a little bigger, I’ll make fire too. I’m still a child.”
She felt disappointed.
Very disappointed.
When would her fire come?