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Chapter 44
[Act 13] Demons
One cannot simply go up a mountain infinitely. Mountains eventually reach their peak and have downward slopes.
By the laws of nature, people win at times and lose in others during their lives.
[A certain god grumbles about how baffled they are.]
[A certain god wants the outsider’s brains to get washed.]
[A certain god asks if you think this loss makes sense to you.]
“This was beyond my control…”
[A certain god drills in that excuses are a sin.]
“Okay.”
I had been distracted mid-fight?
Even I thought that was crazy.
Of course, that wasn’t my fault, either.
I’d seen for the first time what I’d only seen displayed on mannequins!
It was extremely white, too.
‘…I’m sure it’ll be okay next time since I’ve experienced it now.’
“Master, give me new clothes,” Diaroka demanded with her left arm covering her chest. Her healing was significantly slower than before.
“Why should I?”
“It’s the duty of a slave owner to provide food, shelter, and clothing for their slave.”
“How stubborn.”
Poof!
I took out a woman’s dress from the warehouse and threw it at her.
Fwp~
The female demon snatched it and swiftly changed.
“I lost from the moment I wasn’t winning by a landslide. After all, I don’t know what will happen to me if I get controlled by that piece of garbage.”
“Aha!”
‘She thought that far ahead, I see!’
It would be meaningless if she just became Kogmos’s slave if she killed me. Rather, it looked like she hated that more.
“Furthermore… it felt like you lost on purpose in the end.”
“No, I didn't.”
“I don’t know why you did, but it felt extremely uncomfortable.”
“That’s… um…”
I decided to beat around the bush before I dug my own grave.
It looked like that demon wasn’t considering me as a male at all, in fact, it felt like I was  a pet to her.
It was similar to how Kogmo saw human women.
“By the way, Diaroka…”
“Yes.”
“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“I already accepted you, an inferior creature, as my owner. Did you think that was easy to do? It’s a humiliation and an embarrassment that I’ll be eternally mocked for, so just consider it as a test.”
“That’s your side of the story.”
The demon looked extremely displeased.
“You’re too greedy. I became your slave as an apology. What more do you want from me?”
She’d been my slave from the beginning, but it seemed she didn’t think so. No wonder she stabbed my back the minute we left the city of humans.
“What I want…”
The extreme whiteness I saw lingered in my mind.
“You bastard! I won’t forgive you if you demand anything ridiculous from Miss Diaroka!”
“You’re not dead, Kogmos?”
The vitality of the demon species really went beyond my imagination.
“What are you going to do if you don’t forgive him?” The demon woman asked the man in an incredibly displeased tone.
“Th-that’s… Well…”
“Can you beat my owner in a fight? I want to hear in detail what sort of ridiculous demand it could be.“
“That’s… Aaah…”
The demon had a buttered tongue in front of the human ladies but turned timid in front of his own species.
[A certain god drills in that he’s a pathetic demon.]
[A certain god drills in that you’re a pathetic outsider.]
Anyways, Diaroka reached her hand out to me after coldly silencing Kogmos.
Pwt!
I swatted it away with the back of my hand.
“What are you trying to do now?”
“Stay still. I’m trying to compensate you properly, as you requested.”
“If it’s anything weird…”
“It is not.”
The female demon put both her hands on my shoulders.
‘Is she trying to strangle me…?’
I thought that until she shifted her weight forward, leaning her body onto my chest with an awfully gentle expression.
“What is this?”
“It’s my reward. I’m tired because of you, master. I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“The rest? Hey!”
“…”
And just like that, Diaroka passed out.
I wanted to throw that stubborn slave into the barren wasteland that was the aftermath of our fight, but my arms were already holding her up from falling.
“This is baffling.”
“You’re the baffling one! Get your filthy hands off of Miss Diaroka’s buttocks right now!”
“…Kogmos.”
“Don’t change the subject, and get your hands off first!”
“What are you gonna do now?”
I had a competent, new translator.
The male demon was a relic of the past that I didn’t need anymore, and he wanted to leave, too.
“Hands first!”
“Hey. are her buttocks really important right now?”
“Really?! It’s extremely important!”
“Don’t play with me. I’m serious right now…”
“I’m serious, too!”
“…”
“…”
There was a minor issue between human and demon viewpoints, but it ultimately ended with the human’s victory.
That’s because…
“Then do you want to hold her, Kogmos?”
“What?! I… I can’t. Miss Diaroka wouldn’t want that at all…”
“Then what do you want me to do? Abandon her?”
“Kurgh!”
Not able to come up with a fitting solution, the male demon turned his back to me.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes.”
“Goodbye.”
“Aren’t you angry?”
“Why should I be?”
“…”
“Why?”
“I know you don’t respect me in the slightest, but let me tell you this: I’m really sorry I betrayed you. I wasn’t in the right state of mind after meeting such an attractive woman so suddenly…”
[A certain god forgives the pathetic outsider.]
“God says they forgive you.”
‘How forgiving this outsider god is to eunuchs.’
“I… I see. Make sure you tell them I said thank you.”
[A certain god acts pompous.]
“Where are you going?”
“To the gnoll’s forest. My laboratory is there.”
“Aha!”
Kogmos headed south with just a lightweight bag on him and said something straight out of a movie.
“Tell Miss Diaroka I’ll return as a strong man fit for her.”
“Sure!”
“…Never mind. Don’t tell her that.”
* * *
“I’ll make sure to let her know!”
“Are you a demon…?”
The demon man who called a human a demon finally left.
‘Well. that was kinda bittersweet!’
[A certain god waves to the pathetic outsider.]
“Did he leave okay?”
[A certain god informs you he is crying.]
“I-I see.”
I felt like I learned something I shouldn’t have.
Anyways!
“It’s about time to go back.”
There were still things I had to take care of.
[Massacre]
***
The Hero Tournament…
At first, everyone talked about it like they were going for first place, but they all backed out after hearing the knights wouldn’t be protecting them.
After all, that meant they had no insurance.
Until that point, the knights would go to their rescue if any of them died or got injured.
And after that, they were able to recover through the miracle of the Saintess, whether it was a severe injury or death…
“It’s over if we die…?”
“They’re going too far.”
“This is no joke anymore.”
But they were no longer insured in the tournament.
Their lives would end along with their fascinating fantasy adventure if they lost to the orcs!
And the jiggly slimes wouldn’t even let them have a burial after cleaning them all up.
“Venturing the unknown, my ass.”
“This isn’t just a game.”
Mercenaries and adventurers went without practically a single day of rest from exciting travels in fantasy genres.
But that was all just an empty plot for rated E fantasies full of hopes and dreams!
In reality, it was only natural for them to know to protect their own lives.
“There are currently too few tournament applicants. For those hesitant on participating, please let me know now—don’t regret it later.”
“…”
“…”
The Heroes remained dead silent despite Prince Alsus’s pressure.
“Are there really no more willing participants?”
“…”
“…”
It didn’t matter if they were called pathetic cowards.
To them, a fantasy world was a cool playground for them to have fun in, just like the main character!
And it was a playground they didn’t want to die in.
No, they’d already died plenty of times before.
Their failures were covered thanks to the Saintess wielding the miracle of resurrection like some RPG.
Without the Saintess…?
They wouldn’t have hesitated to give up the tempting services from the Temple to run off.
“We can’t.”
“This is a bit much…”
Of course, there was a chance they could be able to have a safe, successful hunt because the orcs, supposedly stronger than the gnolls, may not be as strong as they thought.
But how could they be sure?
Most people don’t gamble with their only life. Furthermore, the Heroes, having grown up in a peaceful land far away from death threats, were all the more repulsed by it.
“Is there really no one?”
“Prince Alsus…”
The Saintess, who had only been looking out the window as if lost in thought the entire time, interrupted.
“That’s enough. You did your best in persuading the Heroes.”
“Not at all…”
“Now it is time to respect their choices.”
Prince Alsus nodded to the top executive of the matter and proceeded to inform the Heroes.
“Heroes who are not participating in the tournament, please go back to your quarters and pack your bags.”
“Our bags?”
“Why so suddenly?”
The Saintess explained it to the confused Heroes,
“The tournament has already begun. We intend to specifically support those with the courage and will to take down the Demon King. This was part of the test.”
“How could this be…?!”
“No way!”
The Heroes tried to refute that it was unfair for them to get kicked out just for not participating in the tournament, but they were unsuccessful in changing the Saintess’s mind.
“We’ll participate!”
“I’ll do it too!”
The Heroes wished to participate a step too late.
They weren’t going to give it their all in a dangerous tournament where one death meant the end of everything.
They’d just sit back and watch from afar until the end!
But their gimmick wasn’t accepted.
The reason being,..
“True Heroes must save people even if they don’t get anything in return. If Heroes quibble over profit, how different are they from mercenaries?”
“But the winning nominees are already decided!”
“That’s right! That’s why we gave up so fast!”
Countless excuses rang from the room.
The Saintess silenced them all with a gentle smile.
“So you already know who should get more support, then?”
“Ah!”
“Oh?!”
Unable to argue back, the Heroes trudged away to pack their things.
Only a very small number of Heroes were left.
With the exception of Oh Hanwoo, who wasn’t even in the rankings, everyone else was all at the top.
Choi Kangmin, Jang Miyeon, Yoo Bora…
The Saintess congratulated them all with a bewitching smile.
“Congratulations. May God’s blessing be with the Heroes who passed the tournament's first round.”
The tournament had already begun.
***
Whoosh~
A barren plain without a single leaf in sight.
Even though half of that catastrophe was the female demon’s doing, I still couldn’t believe an environmental activist Earthling like me was also responsible.
Jiggle…
Jigglejiggle…
The slimes nearby seemed to be scolding me.
“You guys are everywhere, huh?”
Jigglejiggle~
Jiggle~
Not only did the slimes clean the environment, but they also contributed to land development as well!
Aside from that…
[A certain god drills you for not acting like an outsider.]
[A certain god suggests throwing the demon out.]
“Chill.”
[A certain god stamps their feet in discomfort.]
“Jeez…”
I returned to the city as I calmed down the raging god.
“$ horn #^?”
“A demon? $…?”
A lot of people were staring at me for holding a female demon.
So what if she was a demon?
Not only was I the leader of two demons as of then, but I had also been sexually assaulted by a female fairy before, too.
I wasn’t odd enough to be a spectacle.
Above all…
[A certain god is uncomfortable.]
[A certain god is uncomfortable.]
[A certain god is…]
‘I think the odd one is this god getting uncomfortable over an outsider hugging a demon.’
[A certain god is uncomfortable.]
[A certain god is uncomfortable.]
[A certain god runs away.]
“Huh? They ran away?”
‘What the hell is going on?’