"When did those two get so close?"

I asked the question while still watching them, and beside me, Zarah turned her attention in the same direction, her eyes following the interaction between Narg and Zivra.

"I do not know," she replied after a moment, still observing them. "But I have seen them talking like that a couple of times already."

"Really?" I asked, unable to completely hide my surprise.

That honestly caught me off guard more than it probably should have.

I never imagined Narg as the type to grow close to someone so naturally, especially not in that way. He was always serious, always focused on clan matters, training, preparations, strategy... everything with him usually revolved around responsibility or survival.

Romance—or even companionship—felt strangely out of place when attached to someone like him.

And yet, watching him now, the conversation between the two of them didn’t look forced or awkward. Narg wasn’t giving orders, nor did he have that usual guarded edge in his voice or posture. If anything, he looked... relaxed.

It was subtle, but noticeable enough.

"Is there a problem with the two of them becoming partners?" Zarah asked, finally shifting her gaze toward me.

I shook my head lightly.

"No, there isn’t," I replied. "I’m just surprised, that’s all."

I looked toward the two of them again, quietly watching the way they interacted.

The occasional lingering glances. The subtle touches lasted a little longer than necessary.

It wasn’t anything dramatic either, which somehow made it feel more genuine. Small things. Comfortable things. The kind of behavior people slip into naturally without even noticing.

Narg brushed her cheek with his finger.

Yeah...I don’t care what anyone says.

Those two were definitely more than just friends.

And it was, surprisingly, a nice sight.

Seeing Narg smile that much felt strange in a way I couldn’t properly explain. He was usually so composed and serious that moments like this almost didn’t seem to fit him. But at the same time, it made him feel... normal.

Less like someone constantly carrying the weight of the clan on his shoulders.

As though sensing my gaze, Narg suddenly turned in my direction.

I immediately looked away.

The last thing I wanted was for him to misunderstand what I was thinking.

Narg was the type to overthink things when it came to duty, and if he somehow came to the conclusion that I disapproved of the relationship, there was a genuine chance he would distance himself from Zivra because of it.

So it was better to act like I hadn’t noticed anything at all.

"I’m surprised you find this interesting to watch," Zarah said, clearly noticing my reaction.

"Yeah, I do," I admitted with a small shrug. "I was human once, you know, so stuff like this is entertaining to me."

"Human?" Zarah repeated, finally turning fully toward me now.

I nodded.

"Yes. That’s right."

The moment the words left my mouth, I realized what I had just said.

I turned toward Zarah almost immediately, watching for her reaction.

I had never used that term around her before, and as far as I knew, neither she nor most goblins had ever actually seen a human. To them, the word should’ve sounded foreign—something distant and unfamiliar.

But contrary to what I expected, Zarah didn’t react with confusion or shock.

"Human?... Isn’t that what Chosen used to be before they died and appeared here?"

I blinked once, then raised a brow slightly.

So she already knew.

That explained why she hadn’t looked surprised.

"Yes," I answered. "That’s exactly what it means. How did you know that?"

"Granny Flogga told me," Zarah replied casually.

Right. That made sense.

Flogga had once been human too before ending up here, so naturally, she would know things the others didn’t.

For a brief moment, the conversation settled into silence before Zarah suddenly spoke again.

"Is being human better than being a goblin?"

The question came so unexpectedly that I froze for a second.

Not because it was difficult to answer.

But because I did not expect her to ask such a question.

"Well..." I raised a finger slightly. "That’s actually a pretty good question."

But before I could properly answer it, Zarah spoke again.

"Is your life better here as a goblin than your life before as a human?"

I blinked, caught off guard by how direct the question was.

A small breath escaped me as I stared at her for a second, genuinely surprised by the depth behind it.

I thought about it for a moment.

About Earth.

About the hospital room.

The endless white walls. The silence. The feeling of existing without really living.

Days blurred together back then.

Sometimes I would wake up and genuinely forget what day it was because nothing ever changed. The same room. The same ceiling. The same quiet loneliness sitting in the corner like it belonged there.

Then I thought about this place.

About the chaos, the danger, the absurdity of it all.

And somehow...the answer still came easily.

"Yes," I finally said. "I think my life here with you and everyone else is far better than the life I had as a human."

Zarah’s expression brightened almost immediately after hearing that, a pleased grin spreading across her face before she leaned gently against my shoulder.

I smiled faintly to myself and rested my head lightly against hers in return, the warmth and closeness strangely calming amidst everything else going on around us.

Back on Earth, I had been alone for most of my life. Even near the end, I was stuck in a hospital room with no one beside me, no one to rely on, and no real reason to keep fighting beyond simple survival.

But here...I had people...goblins beside me.

Goblins I cared about.

Goblins who cared about me.

I had something worth protecting now, something that gave meaning to everything I was doing.

So despite all the danger, despite becoming a goblin of all things...

I genuinely believed this life was better.