Rumbling Bellies and Broken Promises
A strange silence lingered in the Hidden Space after Han Ji-woo and Toryong departed. Lucy, Ferrofero, Pao, and Brisong sat side by side by the lakeshore.
Grrrrowl—
Pao's stomach clock went off first. Then—
Grrrooowl— Croooak— Gruuuuumble!
Ferrofero, Lucy, and Brisong's stomachs chimed in one after another, each asserting itself loudly.
"Pao. Haven't had lunch yet. You guys too, haven't eaten. I'll make lunch."
Even without Han Ji-woo around, Pao had been handling the cooking for the past few days in his stead. Brimming with confidence, he rolled up his sleeves and headed to the hearth, shouting,
"What do you wanna eat!"
"Can you make anything? Then I want bossam!"
Nyaaaaah~
"Her Highness wishes to dine on pork ribs."
At that moment, Brisong jumped up and barked toward the pigsty.
Woof! Woof woof!
He wanted bulgogi. Pao nodded solemnly and gripped his butcher knife.
* * *
"Eat up!"
At Pao's shout, the pets playing by the lake rushed to the table and sat down.
"The food's done already? I'm looking forward to this!"
Grrrooo!
Nyaaang!
But their excitement cooled instantly upon seeing the dishes on the table. There was just rice, grilled fish, and sashimi—nothing else.
"Wh-what is this? Where's the bossam? The pork ribs? The bulgogi?"
Flustered, Ferrofero even stuttered. Lucy glared at Pao with displeased eyes and growled.
Nyaaaaah.
Pao, who feared Lucy more than anyone here, startled and made excuses.
"Th-that's hard! Pao can't make it!"
Ferrofero glanced around the hearth. There wasn't even a trace of any pork or beef being prepped. In other words, he hadn't even tried.
"Are you kidding me? Why say you'd make it if you weren't even gonna try!"
"Good mood."
"...Pardon?"
"Pao trusting eyes! Expecting eyes! Cool eyes! Makes Pao feel good."
In short, he'd lied just to feel good about himself and bask in the pride.
"Whoaaaa. Wowwww."
It was such a ridiculously idiotic idea that all they could do was marvel in disbelief. They'd forgotten for a moment living together, but Pao was a monster before he was a pet. The kind where common sense and logic just didn't apply!
Having been duped by such a creature, Ferrofero couldn't possibly be pleased! Well, he himself might let a little deception slide. But!
"The crime of deceiving Her Highness! I cannot let that pass!"
Shing—!
Ferrofero drew his rapier, which had gathered dust for ages. Startled, Pao tried to back away, but—
Thwack!
Nyaaaaah!
Lucy zipped in like the wind and grabbed his rear.
"Eek! Pao no like now. Getting hit! Pao has good weapon too!"
Furious, Pao drew his king horn steel sword. Things were about to go south for real. But then—
Chomp. Crunch crunch. Gulp!
Chomp! Crunch. Crunch. Gulp!
All eyes turned to the source of the suspicious sounds. There was Brisong, scarfing down the well-prepared food without a care who was fighting. Already, a third of the dishes had vanished.
"Ah! Her Highness must eat too! Your Highness, please come here at once!"
Panicked, Ferrofero sheathed his rapier and hurried Lucy over to start feeding her. Seeing that, Pao—sensing crisis that all the rice would be stolen—dropped his sword as if nothing had happened and buried his face in the table.
Watching everyone eat heartily, Brisong sneakily curled the corners of his mouth and slipped away from the table.
* * *
Grrrrrowl—
"...This won't do. When he comes back this time, I gotta lock him up somewhere."
Azid muttered, clutching his starving gut. Then, a miracle happened.
A flash of light near the hearth—and the person he'd been waiting for appeared. Han Ji-woo.
"You!"
Azid bellowed and rushed over. Drooling rivers, he grabbed Han Ji-woo's shoulders and shook him wildly.
"Why'd you take so long? Why!"
"Urk. I'm dizzy, let go first and talk."
"Food first!"
Azid yelled like a beggar who'd fasted for months. Then, something poked its head out from behind Han Ji-woo.
"This the Demon Realm? Oho. Ahem. Ah? And you are?"
As Toryong, surveying the surroundings, met Azid's eyes and asked—
Crunch.
Azid bit down on the worm's head.
"KyaAAAAH! Bite like that and my head'll come off! Head'll come off!"
Caught off guard by the sudden event, Han Ji-woo stopped Azid a beat late.
"No no! This guy's not emergency rations! Without him, your self-sufficiency dream's toast—everything falls apart!"
"...!"
At "self-sufficiency," Azid snapped to his senses and spat out Toryong.
The worm burrowed into the ground, voice fading like he was dying.
"Ji-woo sir. Please avenge the universe's handsomest, nicest worm..."
"If it's your last words, sure."
"Not last words?"
"Won't listen. But there's a way to make me."
"Oh ho! What might that be?"
"Make it your real last words."
At the chilling joke, Toryong peeked out just his head.
"Yohohohoho~! Now I see, Ji-woo sir is truly terrifying~"
"You're a sly worm."
"Didn't you see? Without you, I'd already be a chomped worm."
Azid, unable to tear his eyes from Toryong, drooled waterfalls as he asked,
"Really can't eat it?"
"I said no."
"I'm a happy worm, but not a tasty one~ Even if you ate me, hmm, ah? Oho. Right! I'd just taste like dirt!"
Disappointment flooded Azid's face.
"Then why bring it?"
"He'll make the Demon Realm soil fertile."
"For real?"
Azid's eyes sparkled.
"Yeah. Anyway, you look starved. Already finished what I left?"
"Gone ages ago."
"That was enough for a week."
Azid ground his teeth.
"Some glutton bug did it."
At "glutton," Han Ji-woo stared at Azid.
Self-introduction?
The words rose to his throat but he held them back.
"Anyway, let's eat first. I haven't had lunch either."
"Exactly. Great idea... Huh?"
Azid whipped around, sensing something. But there was just a scrawny, char-like tree rooted there—nothing but silence.
Am I so hungry my senses are off?
Shrugging, Azid turned back. Then, a face peeked from behind the tree.
It was Astaroth, the glutton who'd stolen Han Ji-woo's left food.
So that's the human?
Azid had said a human male brought all his food. And from Azid's desperate state, this human was surely the food shuttle.
"Now, chef favored by the Demon Prince. Time to show your skills."
Despite the fancy words, Azid clung to Han Ji-woo like a zombie, shaking him.
"Too clingy—back off a bit?"
Astaroth, watching from afar, furrowed her brow.
Last tasty meal, probably.
Everyone in the Demon Realm knew Azid's temper. Even the Demon King got shit-talked. High demons beaten like stray dogs on dog days—countless. Even some high officials rumored thrashed.
They hushed it in shame, but it was an open secret.
Reasons varied, but essence same: any slight disrespect, and Azid's fist flew.
I can't fight back 'cause he has my weakness.
A mere human dared such irreverence to Azid. Astaroth figured his head was done for.
"Got it."
Azid backed off. Barely half a step.
...What'd he eat? Why so compliant?
As Astaroth gaped, Han Ji-woo pulled out cooking tools and ingredients.
Beef top round, one hunk.
Nom! Crunch! Gulp!
Two eggs.
Pop! Crunch crunch! Gulp!
One apple.
Munch! Crunch! Gulp!
"Hey, you bastard!"
The moment ingredients hit the ground, Azid shoved them all in and swallowed.
Han Ji-woo cursed involuntarily.
Damn!
Astaroth thought the poor human's life ended now. But—
"Eat 'em whole like that and I can't cook! Don't wanna miss out on tasty food? And your mouth the only one? I gotta eat too. Demon Realm or not, that's too much!"
"Bullying? Bullying? This bullying, right? Yohohoho~ Ji-woo sir. Hit him. Demon bullying gets head smacked! Not 'cause I want revenge~ Yohohoho!"
Despite insults from a human and mystery bug—
"Okay, okay. Won't eat more, so make it right."
Azid just grinned goofily, eyes full of anticipation.
What the hell, crazy bastard?
Astaroth was baffled. And that smiling face was so handsome it made her heart pound—pissing her off more.
In the chaos, Han Ji-woo's cooking began. Menu: yukhoe!
He pulled tools and ingredients from Inventory, hands flying. Peeled and julienned the apple, then the beef. Tossed sesame oil, honey, soy into the beef and mixed. Layered apple on a big plate, topped with seasoned beef. Separated two eggs—whites tossed to Azid, yolks on yukhoe. (Needed two for the amount.)
Appetizing yukhoe complete.
"Perilla oil would've been better."
Han Ji-woo tsked, popping a yolk. Mixed into beef—nutty aroma wafted.
"Here, eat."
The yukhoe gleamed before Azid. Like a desert wanderer at an oasis, he dove in—
Snap!
A hand snatched over half. Astaroth.
Azid's shock met Astaroth's bliss in midair.
You made me like this! Don't blame me! her eyes screamed.
But—
Nom!
Before yukhoe hit her mouth, Azid engulfed her hand whole, sucking meat from between fingers, then spat the hand—like deboning.
"Kyaa!"
Ignoring her scream, he did. But Astaroth wouldn't quit. Reaching for remnants—
Munch munch. Gulp!
Nom nom. Gulp!
Han Ji-woo and Toryong had emptied the bowl.
"Aaaah..."
Astaroth collapsed, vibe of lost life's meaning.
"Aaaaaah! My meat!"
She tore her hair in agony over missed yukhoe. Han Ji-woo asked,
"That glutton you mentioned... her?"
Azid nodded.
"Pissed? Kill her?"
"Stealing a bit of yukhoe worth killing over?"
Astaroth muttered through bloodshot tears,
"Gonna kill her. Gonna kill her. Gonna kill her."
"...You guys are exhausting."
Yukhoe deciding life and death—this was the Demon Realm.
* * *
Pao and Seibier arrived at the Dungeon Prison and beheld an astonishing sight.
"Wh-what is this?"
Grrrooo?
Before them, massive hordes of monsters tore into each other in a bloody war.