Chapter 10 – The First Seeds and the Water of Life
The morning in Goblin's Grove arrived with a dull, gray light. The sky above never changed—it was always covered in a pale mist. But even so, something about this morning felt different.
I stood at the edge of the field we had plowed the day before. Godon and the other goblins sat in rows, staring at me with eager, unblinking eyes—an odd sight for creatures usually known for their savagery.
I untied the old burlap sack I had brought from the market. Inside were small bags of leftover seeds—radish, mustard greens, and onions—sold cheaply by a vegetable vendor who had no use for them anymore.
"These aren't high-quality seeds," I muttered, showing them to the goblins. "But they're enough for a beginning."
Godon gave a firm nod, then began digging small holes in the soil with his bare hands. The others followed, carefully creating rows and furrows.
We planted each seed with care. It wasn't graceful, but it was honest work.
But soon, the biggest problem hit me like a rock to the head.
"Water," I said under my breath. "We don't… have any water."
There was no rain here. No rivers. No moisture in the air. The entire grove was surrounded by a thick wall of mist—an impenetrable fog that acted like a barrier. You could touch it, but you couldn't pass through. The world outside was cut off.
I sat on a rock, silently cursing my own ignorance.
But then… I had an idea.
A few hours later, I stood beside a small river back in the real world, just outside town. Behind me were twenty large plastic water jugs, all empty and newly purchased using most of the little money I had left.
I bent down and began filling each one from the river.
Once they were full, I took a deep breath.
"Let's do this."
I opened a portal to Goblin's Grove. A soft glow appeared in midair, swirling into a circular gate. Lifting the first jug, I stepped through.
Godon and the others greeted me like I was a hero returning from battle.
"This is water… from the outside world," I explained.
They didn't really understand what the 'outside world' meant—but they understood how precious the water was. Without wasting a second, they began carrying the jugs one by one, carefully watering the soil where the seeds had just been planted.
As they worked, I sat back and stared at the field, now darkened by moisture. The earth smelled rich—alive.
By late afternoon, Godon stood proudly beside the field and spoke in the Goblin tongue.
"Nûg Rok'tar."
I blinked. The words made no sense at first… but somehow, I knew what he meant.
"The First Land of Life."
Meanwhile, in a public dungeon somewhere else...
Kang Minho, my childhood friend and a Rank D hunter, was mid-battle with two small orcs. He twirled his short sword and took them down in a single breath.
He wiped his blade clean and chuckled.
"That guy's probably farming right now. But I know him… He'll be calling me again soon."
He wasn't wrong.