The Glow Stick's Hidden Power
"What if I said I won't help you?"
The moment Minwoo uttered those words, Siola, standing behind Ernate, shot him a murderous glare.
"You bastard...!"
"Eek...!"
"Enough."
At Ernate's command, Siola reluctantly backed off, but her eyes still burned with resentment. It was as if they screamed, How dare you spout such nonsense in front of the Demon King?
"Before I answer that question, may I ask one of my own first?"
"Ah, yes..."
Ernate leaned forward, gazing at Minwoo with a serious expression. Her massive breasts, threatening to burst free, drew his eyes inescapably, but she continued without a care.
"Assuming our summoning ritual was flawless, I naturally expected you to stand against the Hero... Yet for some reason, you seem far different from the man I envisioned. What are your thoughts on that?"
"What do you mean..."
Indeed. Ernate, the Demon King, had tweaked the summoning spell stolen from humans. Specifically, the target's disposition. Unlike the hero-summoning ritual designed for the wise, brave, compassionate, and above all justice-driven, she had crafted hers to call forth someone cruel, ruthless, and seething with hatred for heroes.
But even hearing this, Minwoo just tilted his head.
"...You say 'Hero,' but I don't even know who that is."
"...I see. The Hero was only just summoned, after all. But rest assured, that one will be the object of your hatred."
"Even if you say so..."
The word "hatred" didn't suit Minwoo at all. In modern society, with no real grudges or enmities, he had no one he despised that deeply. Moreover, Ernate expected the summon to be vicious and cruel. But Minwoo was nothing like that. He wasn't some saint proclaiming his virtue, but he'd never committed serious crimes either.
Of course, the moment he'd arrived, he'd done something awful to the Demon King before him. That point puzzled even Ernate.
"I ask because your temperament seems quite at odds with what I anticipated. Or perhaps you're such a skilled actor that even I can't see through it?"
"No, absolutely not..."
As Minwoo flustered, Ernate shrugged and straightened up.
"In any case, I'm sorry, but whether you help us or not... I think it won't hurt to first confirm the Hero's appearance before deciding. What say you?"
"...Understood."
The Demon King's side couldn't let the Hero grow unchecked, so time was limited. But merely peeking at the Hero? Magic could handle that much.
For now, the three agreed to rest briefly before reconvening.
...
After the meeting with the Demon King, Minwoo was escorted to the room where he'd stay for the time being.
The Demon King's Castle should teem with monsters once the king revived, but due to the incomplete resurrection, it was merely desolate inside. Wyverns and such prowled outside, surprising Minwoo, but compared to its past glory, it was pathetic.
"You'll stay here for now. If anything's inconvenient, tell me anytime. I'll come fetch you once preparations are ready."
"Ah... sure."
Despite her polite words, Siola's face screamed she'd rip his mouth off for wasting her time. Minwoo broke into a cold sweat.
Only after she left did he finally relax, flopping onto the bed with a huge exhale.
"Hoo..."
Truly a tumultuous day. Overwhelmed by sudden fatigue, Minwoo closed his eyes.
"..."
How much time passed? Minwoo jolted awake.
"No good. Get it together, Kang Minwoo! This isn't the time to sleep easy."
He'd dozed off, but he couldn't relax yet. First things first.
The one thing he could rely on now. Minwoo pulled out the mini LED glow stick.
He examined it intently from every angle, even pressing the light button.
"..."
It looked utterly ordinary.
"No clue."
Bought online for 12,800 won including shipping. Smaller than standard glow sticks, adjustable length, fit in his parka pocket. He'd used it briefly as a cheering stick during his idol concert phase.
One button: first press for steady red light, second for flashing, third to off.
"Come to think of it, that Demon King woman touched this and collapsed."
Regaining consciousness, she'd mumbled about mana depletion. And it had blocked the terrifying vampire girl's magic too—though fear had blurred the details.
From all this, he inferred:
"It seems to defend against—or absorb?—magic. Something like that."
Like a light novel protagonist equalizing genders with one fist. Minwoo chuckled bitterly at the thought.
"Not bad, but beating a Hero with just this? Doubtful..."
From what he'd heard, Heroes were cheat codes even the Demon King couldn't beat. Transcending classes, masters of sword and sorcery, near-infinite mana. Magic he might counter with the stick, but a sword charge? No defense. Violence and fighting were alien to Minwoo anyway.
"Should I refuse after all... I said I'd check the Hero's face first, but..."
Even knowing who it was wouldn't change much, he figured. He had no one he hated that fiercely, and even if he did, life-or-death battles weren't his style. Better to forgive and forget—that suited him.
"But outright refusing... who knows how the Demon King side would react. Better pretend to cooperate for now."
He'd subdued Ernate once, but pure luck. Now she'd be wary of the stick, and even blocking magic wouldn't save him from physical attacks or indirect spells—like crumbling the ground.
As Minwoo pondered, flicking the glow stick's light on and off, the door burst open unannounced.
The vampire girl, Siola.
"Minwoo, preparations are ready. The Demon King awaits—hurry..."
"Ah, coming right now."
He scrambled off the bed. For some reason, she clearly disliked him. Not wanting to irk her more, he approached without turning off the glow stick.
But Siola just stared at him fixedly.
"..."
"Um... aren't we going?"
Awkward, Minwoo scratched his head. Siola's hand on the doorknob froze—no movement.
"Uh... did I mess up or..."
"..."
The awkwardness mounted. Then Minwoo noticed something off about Siola. She stood in an uncomfortable pose, like mid-motion to open the door, halted. Her gaze, seemingly on him, stared into space; her eyes lost their spark.
Like a life-sized French doll propped up, nailed in place.
She was completely frozen.
...
"Um, Siola... miss?"
"..."
Déjà vu hit Minwoo. Something similar had happened before.
Right—Ernate had suddenly lost consciousness like this.
But differences: Siola hadn't touched the glow stick, and she wasn't unconscious—just motionless.
Could time have stopped? He glanced around instinctively.
Silent room. No clocks. But faint monster cries echoed distantly. Siola blinked occasionally, her small chest rising faintly—she was breathing.
Just motionless.
What the hell? Minwoo puzzled long, but no answers.
Finally, steeling himself, he tried a simple test.
"Siola miss, if you hear me, blink twice."
"..."
No reaction. He tried again.
"Siola miss. If you stay still, I'll grope your chest. That okay?"
"..."
Words that would've roasted him in hell from normal Siola—yet silence.
"Hmm... no response even to that..."
Minwoo pondered briefly, then drew the glow stick from his pocket. It was lit steady.
"No way..."
Absurd, but his only special item. Just maybe... He pressed the button.
The light switched to flashing mode.
"..."
"Huh...?"
Reaction. Siola moved.
Not back to normal. She adjusted her awkward stance into attention, facing Minwoo—like awaiting orders.
Still no life in her eyes.
"..."
Minwoo swallowed, then murmured low.
"Lift your skirt and show me your panties."