Grumble Grumble
Azid clutched his starving belly, letting out a groan before abruptly shooting to his feet. He took a single step, and his body vanished in a blur of afterimages. Moments later, he reappeared far off in the distance, one hand gripping a magic beast.
This was the only sustenance Azid had consumed in the Demon Realm since reaching adulthood. In mid-realm terms, it was livestock like pigs, cows, or chickens. But the taste was worlds apart.
Crunch! As Azid squeezed, the beast's head burst like a watermelon. He tore off one leg from the twitching, limp body splayed on the ground. Black blood dripped from the limb, revealing pitch-black flesh inside, accompanied by an indescribable fishy stench that wafted through the air.
Azid sighed deeply and took a bite. It was tough. So chewy it was impossible to tell if it was meat or rubber. The beef he'd eaten not long ago had melted in his mouth, juices bursting forth the moment it touched his tongue. But this magic beast meat seemed to scream, 'Let's see if you can chew me or if your teeth break first!'
Of course, a demon's fangs were sharp and sturdy enough to rip through it easily, but where was the joy in gourmet eating like this?
Crunch. Crunch. Gulp! Forcing down the chewed meat, Azid summed it up in one word.
"Fucking disgusting."
It was his mother's catchphrase. After being captured and forced to become the Demon King's wife, she'd say it every morning upon waking. She'd supposedly been the princess of the mid-realm's greatest kingdom, but she clearly had no interest in royal etiquette.
Crunch. Crunch. Gulp!
"Damn it."
Crunch. Crunch. Gulp!
"Goddamn."
Azid repeated the cycle—one swallow, one curse—like a spy enduring torture during a meal. Those curses were all traces left by his mother.
Urrgh!
"Urk. Nasty as hell."
He nearly puked up everything he'd forced down while burping. He'd barely sated his hunger, but the thought of enduring meals like this forever crushed his spirit.
Han Ji-woo, who had promised to return, showed no sign of coming back. Azid had spent ages staring at the sky, praying like an Indian performing a rain dance.
Suddenly, a horde of demons descended like storm clouds. Leading them was the absolute sovereign of the Demon Realm, Demon King Devil.
Hundreds of demons, including the Demon King, landed in a line before Azid. He regarded his father with utterly indifferent eyes.
Horns grander and more imposing than any demon's. A towering 2-meter frame with a sturdy build. A face sculpted like marble, wrinkled yet strikingly handsome, etched with a cynical sneer. The Demon King, recipient of the Demon God's full favor, now faced his headache of a seventh prince.
"No greeting for your father?"
"You know damn well what happens the moment we talk."
"It's still a reunion after a thousand years."
"You barge in front of someone who doesn't want to see you, and that's what you say?"
Beelzebub, a top-grade high official demon listening from behind the Demon King, stepped forward at Azid's rude words.
"Your Highness. Even as royal blood, you should mind your tongue with His Majesty."
Azid's icy gaze turned to Beelzebub.
"Hey. Wanna die?"
"......I'll pretend I didn't hear that, so please show some respect......"
"Pretend all you want, you fucking mutt. You begging for a beating?"
Azid crooked his index finger.
"Come here. You forgot who I am, you shithead?"
Beelzebub was about to raise his voice in outrage when the Demon King bellowed.
"This is my world that I created! Even a prince must follow the rules while living in it!"
"That's why you exiled me to the boonies, right?"
Azid scratched his ear with a face screaming utter boredom.
The other demons watching inwardly cursed.
In the midst of it, the Demon King tamped down his anger and revealed why he'd come for his son.
"We'll settle this squabble later. Azid, prepare for war."
"Outta nowhere?"
"The Demon God has reclaimed her heart. And issued a divine oracle to seize the Heavenly Realm's lands."
"Huh? The Demon God didn't die? I thought she croaked after losing her heart."
You idiot, if the Demon God dies, the Demon Realm ends! The thought surged to every demon's throat.
The Demon King felt the same but bit his lip, swallowing his rage before continuing.
"Exactly 100 days from today. We finish all preparations and invade the Heavenly Realm."
"Sure. Safe travels."
"You're coming too!"
"Nah. Busy."
"What could a wastrel idling in the boonies possibly be busy with?"
"Busy wasting time."
"Bullshit is having a bumper crop."
A demon with crow heads and dog fangs—the top-grade high official ranked 7th, Amon—cautiously spoke up.
"Your Majesty. Prince Azid seems uninterested, so why not leave him be?"
The Demon King sighed deeply.
"Amon. Have you ever seen that boy's full power?"
"No."
"That's why you can say that. Him sitting out the war means a massive loss of strength."
"......"
No one, not even Amon or the other demons, had imagined the dimwit prince could be that strong. But the Demon King wouldn't spout nonsense, leaving everyone bewildered.
"We'll return later."
As the Demon King tried to retreat, Azid called out.
"Father."
He posed a strange question.
"If the Demon Realm became self-sufficient, you wouldn't start a war, right?"
"Foolish nonsense. That'll never happen."
"Just hypothetically."
"......Even then, I couldn't promise. But the Demon God would reconsider."
"Got it."
Azid flashed a peculiar smile, then flopped down on the spot and closed his eyes. Clear message: I'm sleeping now, so fuck off.
A few demons subtly shook their heads. The Demon King gazed at Azid with complicated eyes before spreading his wings and taking flight. The demons followed suit.
Azid murmured softly with eyes shut.
"Let's not see any blood."
"Bro, what is it? Whoa!"
Arnok Garglat rushed over at Granbas Garglat's roar, peeking through the open door and freezing in shock. Inside the tiny 2-pyong house lay a dwarf, seemingly dead.
Granbas glared at Han Ji-woo.
"If you can't explain this properly!"
Shing! Twin axes gleaming with icy light appeared in his hands.
"You won't escape my wrath."
Han Ji-woo replied immediately.
"I think you will. Calm down first and check his nose for breath."
Arnok quickly verified Os Gillro's breathing. He felt the faint wind on his fingers, and pressing an ear to the left chest revealed a heartbeat.
"Bro. He's alive?"
"Who said he was dead! To me, this dwarf carved his own soul into flawless gear and fell into a deep slumber."
Han Ji-woo nodded.
"You knew exactly, so what's the problem?"
He was starting to get annoyed himself. He already felt guilty toward Os Gillro. After laying the deeply sleeping dwarf in the 2-pyong house, he hadn't opened the door once.
Granbas was poking Han Ji-woo's sorest spot with a massive misunderstanding.
"You didn't threaten or exploit this poor dwarf to make those items, did you?!"
Arnok reined in his brother.
"Chill. Why assume the worst? It might not be that."
"Have you ever seen a dwarf craft soul-infused gear for another race?!"
"No. But this is a special space, so maybe an exception?"
"Possible. But this human never mentioned the dwarf while explaining the place. He had plenty of chances."
Arnok agreed there was merit, eyeing Han Ji-woo expectantly.
Meanwhile, Granbas's satisfaction plummeted from 9 to 3. Arnok's dropped to 6.
Damn.
If he didn't clear this misunderstanding fast, reaching satisfaction 10 would slip away.
"Okay. Calm down and hear me out."
Not sure if they'd believe him, Han Ji-woo began recounting from his first meeting with Os Gillro to the dwarf's slumber—slowly and in detail.
Snooore! Snooore! Sluuuurp~
"......They're something else."
Han Ji-woo clicked his tongue. The dwarf brothers, who had listened intently to his tale, were now fast asleep.
They'd stared him down with bulging eyes, demanding every detail: If you exploited him, you're dead meat!
But at the part where he met Os Gillro in the Dungeon Prison and unified the Orc Village, their grim faces lit up with fascination. By the escape from Dungeon Prison, their eyes drooped, and at the tool-making, they passed out identically—like grandkids dozing to grandpa's old tales.
Their antics struck Han Ji-woo as oddly funny and cute.
"Scratch the beards, and they're basically kids personality-wise."
Os Gillro too—they had a pure, simple vibe compared to humans.
Han Ji-woo tucked the brothers in. Their reactions and rising satisfaction before sleep suggested they'd believe the rest come morning.
Wishing them sweet dreams, he bedded down with his pets.
The next day, Han Ji-woo's story from breakfast wrapped up around lunchtime. The dwarf brothers...
"Sniff! Hic!"
"Huuuh. Os Gillro. You're an awesome dwarf."
......Were bawling their eyes out, deeply moved.
After a long cry, Granbas composed himself, approached Han Ji-woo, and gripped his hand tightly.
"Sorry. We dwarves never craft soul-infused gear for outsiders, so I misunderstood."
"But Os Gillro's from another continent, not Tirmant. Cultural differences?"
"No! Dwarves from any continent or dimension share the Earth Mother God's mindset."
"Wild."
"Anyway, him gifting you soul gear means he accepts you as kin. So we will too."
As Granbas spoke, the brothers' satisfaction hit 10.
Now Han Ji-woo got it. Why it capped at 9. Dwarves didn't fully open up to non-dwarves. That sealed heart blocked perfect satisfaction—like loving a hotel stay but docking points for the owner's face.
Whew, survived.
They'd ascend soon. A minor crisis, but cumulative satisfaction 30 secured the master smith's soul as a constellation.
As Han Ji-woo relaxed...
"Guess we should leave a gift before going."
"Same here, bro."
Exchanging words, Granbas and Arnok opened the 2-pyong house door, gazing at the sleeping Os Gillro.