Chapter 56
Day 5 of the Regular Corps Commander Meeting.
Hemis was walking through the corridors of the Demon King’s castle.
Click. Click.
With each step, her heels struck the floor making clear sounds.
Just then, a large bull-head demon appeared from the opposite direction.
A smile appeared on Hemis’s lips.
“Oh my, isn’t it Ozges?”
Corps Commander Ozges.
He was the leader of the Cowden clan to which Reidrun belonged, and the commander of the Demon King’s Army’s 5th Corps.
He too bowed his head upon seeing Hemis.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Hemis.”
“Hohoho! I told you to be casual. What’s with the formality between fellow corps commanders?”
“No, how could I stand as an equal with you, Lady Hemis.”
The reason why Ozges showed such respect to Hemis was clear.
Hemis was the demon who had lived the longest alongside the Demon King.
In terms of actual Combat Power, it was widely believed that Hemis was a level above the other corps commanders.
Of course, even setting aside these various reasons, Ozges did tend to be somewhat overly formal.
As they say, clear water flows from a clear source.
Looking at Ozges, it was clear why Reidrun was so rigid and focused on etiquette.
“Are you heading to get a meal?”
Ozges asked.
This was because the dining hall was ahead in this direction.
Hemis nodded.
“Yes. Have you already eaten?”
“Yes.”
“That’s too bad. Let’s have a meal together before this regular meeting ends. I have something I want to talk about.”
“Understood. Then I’ll take my leave as I have some business to attend to.”
“Alright. See you at the meeting later.”
“Yes. Enjoy your meal.”
Leaving Ozges behind as he walked away.
Hemis arrived at the dining hall.
She crossed her legs elegantly as she sat alone at the massive table.
“The usual.”
Shortly after ordering, an enormous amount of food that filled the entire table was served.
CHOMP!
Hemis’s lips split open and all the food disappeared into her mouth at once.
Even though it was an incredible amount of food that could feed dozens of people.
It all disappeared in less than 5 seconds.
“Mm, the chef here really does cook well.”
Hemis smiled with satisfaction.
Just then she noticed a human woman sitting alone at another table.
One might wonder why there was a human woman in the Demon King’s castle.
While it might seem strange, Hemis already knew who this woman was.
At that moment, the human woman also raised her head and noticed Hemis.
Sparks flew between Hemis and the woman.
“Tch. Lost my appetite.”
The woman who was glaring at Hemis stood up and spat on the floor with a ‘ptui!’
Hemis’s lips twisted greatly at this rude behavior.
“When will that vulgar woman ever learn…? Hohoho!”
Though she was laughing outwardly, thick veins were bulging on her lips.
She wanted to devour her in one bite, but that vulgar and rude human is also a corps commander.
Fighting between corps commanders was one of the taboos forbidden by the Demon King, so there was nothing she could do.
“I, being elegant, must endure…”
Hemis quietly calmed her anger.
A soldier approached her.
“Lady Hemis. There’s urgent news from the Black Giant Star!”
“Urgent news?”
“Yes. There was an attack.”
“Tell me the details.”
“According to the report…”
The soldier continued his report in a careful voice.
As the report continued, Hemis’s expression grew increasingly rigid.
“I understand. You may go.”
After the brief report, Hemis dismissed the soldier.
She rose from her seat.
Click! Click!
The noise from her steps had become more irritable.
Hemis headed straight for the corps commander meeting room in the depths of the Demon King’s castle.
Though there was still quite some time until the meeting, it didn’t matter.
The Demon King would already be there.
Creeeeak…!
Finally, the meeting room door opened.
Hemis faced a man sitting alone in the vast space.
The Demon King.
The one called the pinnacle of all demon-kind.
His appearance wasn’t particularly special.
Gray skin.
Like other demons, he had a tall stature with well-proportioned muscles.
If there was one impressive point, it was his horns.
The overwhelming pressure emanating from the massive horns rising from his head indicated he was no ordinary demon.
“…”
The Demon King looked at Hemis, who had come before the meeting time, with indifferent eyes.
“My Lord, do you remember?”
Hemis spoke as she stood before the Demon King.
“When you said we should make a deal with humans. I opposed it, but ultimately followed your will.”
The Demon King listened without any change in expression.
“And as promised, I’ve been stuck in that gloomy castle spending boring days. Isn’t that right?”
“What are you trying to say?”
The Demon King finally showed a reaction.
At that moment, Hemis’s lips split horizontally into a wide smile.
Her smile contained deeper anger than ever before.
“I mean it’s troublesome if you act this way, My Lord.”
“Troublesome… How impudent.”
The Demon King’s expression twisted slightly.
Hemis’s words just now were essentially a threat against him.
No matter how special she might be, this was crossing a line.
“Hemis. Have you lived so long that your senses have dulled…”
Thick demonic energy flowed from the Demon King.
Hemis calmly smiled as she faced the demonic energy head-on.
“I wonder. Perhaps it’s not me but you who has become dull from living too long?”
Intense demonic energy began to burn between their gazes.
***
Choi Hyun-seok’s eyes flew open as he gasped for breath.
“Kuheoook…!”
“He-Hero! You’re awake!?”
Rachel shouted while jumping up and down.
Hyun-seok answered while panting.
“Heook, heuk… Rachel. I’m really alive, right?”
“Yes! You’re alive! You’re alive!”
Rachel buried her head in Hyun-seok’s chest with tears in her eyes.
“Ah, that hurts…!”
“Ah! I’m sorry!”
Rachel withdrew frantically.
He didn’t expect to feel pain from something so minor.
“Hero! Does it hurt a lot!?”
“Yeah… It really fucking hurts…”
“Specifically how and where does it hurt!? I’ll help you!”
“It feels like my skin was completely peeled off and then scrubbed with a hot iron scouring pad.”
“Urgh…”
Rachel dry heaved as if about to vomit at the graphic description.
“I’m sorry. It’s impossible for me to heal that kind of pain!”
“Aren’t you giving up too quickly…”
“I’m a woman who knows when to give up!”
“Please don’t strike poses like you’re delivering some cool line…”
“Heheh!”
Rachel scratched her cheek at Hyun-seok’s criticism.
The two looking at each other suddenly burst into laughter.
“Kekek, kek…!”
“Kihihit… Hit!”
The small laughter soon turned into big laughter.
“Hahahaha!”
The two laughed heartily for a while.
“Hero, are you really okay now?”
“Yeah. I feel much better.”
It wasn’t just empty words – he really did feel the pain subsiding a bit.
As always, when engaging in pointless banter with Rachel, all his worries seemed to disappear.
Now more clear-headed, Hyun-seok began to properly assess the situation.
“So what happened?”
Hyun-seok traced back his memories.
He remembered using Plomot up to level 3, and delivering the final blow using Reidrun-style Fighting Technique.
He remembered that much clearly.
“I think… That bastard didn’t die.”
Though not certain, he vaguely recalled the guy looking down at him while saying something.
“That’s right. Can you believe that monster was about to swing his sword even after taking your incredible attack?”
Rachel explained the situation while gesturing with her whole body.
“Just as that guy was about to bring down his sword like this, BAM!”
Rachel continued with intensity in her eyes.
“That’s when our hero appeared!”
“Hero?”
“Yes! It was the bull-hea… I mean, Lord Reidrun!”
“Ah.”
It seemed Reidrun had appeared and saved him when he was about to die.
“When that bull-hea… I mean Lord Reidrun swung his fist BAM! The evil villain’s head went BOOM! and he died! Isn’t that amazing!?”
Rachel passionately acted out the scene, even falling to the floor with a thud.
Hyun-seok gave her a round of applause.
“Thanks. Good job.”
“Heheh! How was my acting!?”
“It was good.”
“Wouldn’t you say I’m on par with professional actors?”
“Not quite.”
She was at the level where she might get slapped if she tried to become an actor.
“Tch. Anyway, after that, the bull-head and that silver-haired woman took turns looking after you.”
“I see.”
“I heard them talking – they said it’s a miracle you’re alive. They said you should have died several times over?”
“Hmm…”
“Actually…”
Rachel then put her hand near Hyun-seok’s ear and whispered, “I know the reason why you survived…!”
“What is it?”
“What else could it be? It’s because I nursed you with dedication!”
Rachel pointed at herself with her finger.
Her expression was full of pride.
“Ah, thanks.”
At his dry response, Rachel’s cheeks puffed up.
“What’s with that! There’s no soul in it! No soul!”
“Really, thank you. Truly.”
Hyun-seok’s expression contained not just dryness but even a hint of annoyance.
“Eek…! I mean it! You don’t know anything, Hero!”
“I know. I survived thanks to you, Rachel. Of course.”
Hyun-seok spoke without even looking at Rachel.
He snuggled into Bobo’s embrace, who was sleeping soundly nearby.
“Yaaawn… Really, seriously, thank you Rachel. You’re definitely going to heaven.”
Hyun-seok yawned and prepared to fall back asleep.
Rachel stomped her foot.
“Fine! Hero, you’re stupid!”
“Mmhmm…”
“Stupid! Dork! Pervert who only chases women! Weirdo!”
“Yeah, yeah…”
No matter what insults she threw, there was no reaction.
Finally, Rachel decided to use her ultimate weapon.
“Honestly, Hero is super ugly. That’s why you’re still single at your age. Admit it? Yeah, admit it!”
“You really want to die?”
There were certain lines that should never be crossed.
***
That evening.
Hyun-seok was facing Reidrun.
Since his body wasn’t back to normal yet, Reidrun had come to see him directly.
“While it’s fortunate you recovered this time, you must never push yourself like that again.”
“Yes…”
It felt like he’d already heard those words more than 10 times.
How many hours would this tedious conversation continue?
Hyun-seok was suffering more from the mental pain of Reidrun’s nagging than the physical pain.
“Anyway, even though you survived this time, such luck won’t continue forever. Remember that.”
“Yes!”
Hyun-seok answered energetically.
Was it finally ending?
“About how you were able to succeed with that technique. That’s…”
No such luck.
Reidrun continued his explanation.
“Let me be clear, it was thanks to Lady Hemis. Without the demonic energy she planted, it would have been an impossible gamble.”
“Yes…”
The magic power Hemis had planted before leaving.
Without it, Hyun-seok would have died before even reaching level 3 of Plomot.
It felt like he’d heard this at least five times already.
‘What is this…? This infinite loop… Mobius strip…’
His head was spinning.
He gradually started letting Reidrun’s words go in one ear and out the other.
“In the end, this victory wasn’t yours alone. If it weren’t for the demonic energy Lady Hemis arranged…”
Hyun-seok’s eyes went wide.
‘Strange. I feel like I heard this story just before… Am I imagining it?’
The demonic energy Hemis arranged.
The demonic energy Hemis planted.
The demonic energy Hemis left behind.
The conversation was going in circles with almost the same repertoire.
‘I’d rather pass out…’
He understood why Reidrun was going this far.
It was probably because Hyun-seok had ignored his words and fought recklessly.
‘That really couldn’t be helped…’
He knew he had been reckless.
But at that time, he had no choice.
Even if Hyun-seok went back to that moment, he would fight the same way again.
Of course, having to listen to Reidrun’s nagging again was a different matter entirely.
“Therefore, Hyun-seok. You certainly possess outstanding talent. Frighteningly impressive talent. However, without the demonic energy Lady Hemis injected, victory would have been absolutely…”
This time it was âinjectedâ demonic energy.
Hyun-seok gave up.
‘I can’t take it anymore…’
Just before he drifted off to sleep.
Salvation descended.
“That’s enough.”
A beautiful voice pierced his ears.
Hyun-seok and Reidrun turned their heads simultaneously.
“Lady Hemis…?”
“C-Corps Commander!”
How long had she been there?
Hemis was looking at them with a grin.
“Reidrun. Just how many times are you going to repeat the same thing? Even listening for a moment was unbearably boring!”
She tells it like it is!
The most refreshing Corps commander.
It was Hemis’s entrance.