Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: Demon Eater
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“Kieee-!”
The basement echoes.
It was born much larger than I’d expected. I thought it would be about human-sized, but this thing is bigger than a bear.
‘Should’ve held back a bit more.’
Truth be told, I hated sharing with something like the [Smiling One], so I ignored how much mana it was packing and went ahead anyway. That’s what led to this.
‘The problem is, the bigger it gets, the more likely it is to ignore my control.’
“Kieee!”
Even before I gave any orders, Red hauls itself up and spreads its four wings wide. The spacious basement suddenly feels cramped. If the ceiling weren’t unusually high for a place like this, something would’ve gotten smashed.
With a whoosh of wind, my vision goes entirely white.
“Uwaaah—Red?”
“Kiii!”
Red wraps me in its massive wings and pulls me into a hug. I’m helpless as I sink into its vast chest...
It’s incredibly fluffy. Its chest is layered with featherballs like cotton stuffing—super cozy and warm.
“Kiiii!”
“Hey, Red, hold on! What’re you doing?”
Red swings its beak, bigger than my head. That sharp, jet-black curved thing looks ready to rip my head off—but no.
“Ah, got it. Got it. Hang on, don’t do that. Slowly. Don’t forget you’re way bigger now.”
I infuse my command with mana, and only then does it back off a little. I was a bit worried about rebellion, but seeing it focused on showing affection, I can relax.
I raise both hands and grab its enormous beak—way up above my head—and pull it down.
“Yeah, come here. I’ll kiss you and breathe power into you—and you’ll gain the authority to deceive others.”
I whisper that and plant a quick kiss on its beak.
Of course, I’m still wearing the mask. It’s not about lips touching; it’s the primal ritual of exhaling breath to infuse mana and will.
Red reverently accepts my command, will, and mana. Soon, a few feathers flutter as it shrinks to a small size.
“Now that’s a portable size.”
Red is now about 40cm tall—like a regular owl.
If you ignore certain features, it really does look like a plain white owl.
“Though ‘plain’ requires ignoring a lot.”
Like its gemstone-red glowing eyes, three legs, four wings.
And that weird tail like seaweed or vines. Only then does it vaguely resemble an owl.
No matter how you slice it, it’s a creature that’s never existed in this world. Still, it’s a more stable form than last time.
How do I carry this around? The usual way, I guess. I raise one arm and say,
“Come here.”
Flutter-flap—
Wingspan’s nearly a meter.
Red perches on my arm. It looks all bouncy from the layered feathers, but it’s light.
“Kiii—”
Hanging from my arm, Red rubs its head against my body.
“Yeah, yeah. Time to introduce you to the family.”
I head straight up to the living room.
Thud-thud-thud!
The living room is a mess.
“Wizard! Wizard!”
Hyundeok’s desperate shout. Why does this guy always follow the same pattern?
Growl-growl—
Rolly’s chasing Hyundeok with insane momentum. Hyundeok screams and circles the living room.
“Save me! Save me!”
My head’s spinning just watching.
Clack-clack—
A dog-shaped spirit golem made of junk blocks Hyundeok and Rolly. Achilles is less than a quarter of Rolly’s size, but it charges at him bravely.
Boom!
Bad choice. Rolly thinks Achilles’s body-slam is fun and hits back harder, like “I can do that too!”
Crash! Crumble—
Achilles disassembles everywhere then reassembles. It shakes in annoyance, then uses the torch staff tangled in its body to spew fire.
Fwoosh!
Kaboom!
Grrr—
It’s like a kaiju showdown, but Sanghyeon just watches from afar with a smirk (or chuckle—). Smart move, not getting involved. You’d never survive in the middle.
『Both of you, stop!』
I finally yell with mana infused.
A rumbling shockwave hits the whole living room.
Sanghyeon, who was far off, flees to the kitchen. Hyundeok tumbles behind the sofa.
Grrr—
Clack-clack—
After calming the two, I say to Hyundeok,
“Hyundeok, not sure if you’ll buy this,”
“What? What is it? Am I gonna die now?”
“No, they’re just excited and playing. Seems they like you?”
“What? They weren’t trying to eat me or turn me to ash?”
“Nah, deep down they’re just puppies.”
Age-wise, they’re less than a year old.
“That rock monster really tried to eat me!”
Probably just a nibble?
If Rolly went all out, it could move car-crushing speeds. It was just playing tag gently.
“Hmm, Rolly should stay small for a while.”
I cast a shrink spell on Rolly. Shouldn’t kill anyone if it bumps them now.
That’s when Sanghyeon approaches and asks,
“Is that the new pet you mentioned?”
“Oh, yeah. This is Red.”
Hyundeok hears the name and says in disbelief,
“It’s blue—why call it Red?”
“Blue?”
“But what even is this? It’s full of water, like a fish tank?”
Red looks bizarre to anyone.
Three legs, four wings, glowing jewel eyes, plant-like tail.
Otherwise, you could call it an owl-like creature with white feathers. But Hyundeok’s describing it all wrong.
“I’ve seen weird stuff in this house, but this takes the cake.”
I check with Sanghyeon.
“How’s it look to you, Sanghyeon?”
“Like a weird owl.”
“Color?”
“White. Red eyes, so Red?”
“It’s blue! Flying glass fish. What’s that red orb inside?”
“Ah, I get it now.”
He survived death’s door, plus ate the grimoire, rainwater, and Nirvana? Sounds like he awakened a new power.
‘Probably True Sight or something.’
Great ability, but perfect for gaining madness too. This world has too many horrors you shouldn’t see.
‘Not just Hyundeok, probably.’
All that nonstop rain likely awakened powers in lots of people. And right when heteromorphs flooded in avoiding the Foreigner Agency.
Big stuff’s coming soon.
“Anyway, whatever. Weird’s as weird does.”
“Yeah, picking one weird thing here leads to another.”
Hyundeok sighs.
“Mr. Shin-hwa, I’ll check the storeroom quick.”
Sanghyeon leaves, looking oddly cheerful.
“Alright, everyone play nice. Red, this is Rolly, that’s Achilles. Guys, this is Red.”
Clack-clack-clack—
Fwoosh!
Achilles suddenly spews fire out of nowhere.
“Kieeeek!”
Splash!
Red counters with a water spray.
Grrr! Grrr!
Rolly, with nothing to shoot, tries ramming its own body.
Good thing I shrank it.
Clack—crunch—clack-clack!
The mansion’s clutter level hits max, and the furniture (spirit golems) starts cleaning up.
“I-I’m heading upstairs!”
Hyundeok can’t take it and flees to the second floor. Did Sanghyeon predict this and bail early?
“Everyone, stop!”
Gonna be noisy for a while.
“Mr. Shin-hwa, how’s this?”
“Hm?”
Not fleeing? He went to the storeroom and brings back a long T-shaped staff, propping it in the living room corner.
Ah, a perch? Perfect shape for Red.
“But what is it?”
“My great-grandpa’s old magic staff.”
“Ah, that’s why it’s covered in grudges.”
“Uh—too many grudges to use?”
“If they can be removed, no problem. Red, eat that.”
“Kiii—”
—Aaagh! Ughhh, gyaaah!
The grudges in the staff start getting devoured by Red amid horrific screams.
Sanghyeon watches fondly and says,
“An owl... my childhood dream’s coming true.”
“You like Red, huh?”
“Yeah, saw a movie once and wanted to be a wizard with a white owl.”
Sure, but it’s not really an owl, and it’s eating your great-grandpa’s grudges—okay with that?
Well, it’s not his soul, just lingering thoughts.
But the sight shocks the ghosts haunting the mansion.
Whispers here and there, plus minor poltergeist activity—objects moving, noises.
“Should catch mice great, at least.”
Why so many ghosts today?
I sit on the sofa to rest, and Sanghyeon approaches. Unlike his earlier smile, dark shadows linger under his eyes.
“Mr. Shin-hwa, while you were downstairs, I talked with Hyundeok.”
“Oh, yeah? And?”
“Is it okay for him to live here?”
“Hm, in what sense?”
“I dabble in spirit arts and shamanism myself. He’s rare material.”
Material... Sanghyeon’s mostly good, but says weird stuff sometimes. Probably picked it up from Grandpa Heo.
“The ghosts that avoided you for so long all flooded back inside.”
“They want to possess Hyundeok?”
Sanghyeon nods quietly.
“Hm, you should know, Sanghyeon.”
I expand my senses to locate Hyundeok. He’s fine in his room. Won’t hear if we’re not loud.
I roughly explain Hyundeok’s trait to Sanghyeon.
“I see. My old master killed tons trying to make something similar.”
“Grandpa Heo’s journal mentioned it. Failed, right?”
“Yeah, but I helped with the research, so I know what it is. Demon Eater?”
Demon Eater’s a step below Hyundeok’s [Living Altar]. Grandpa Heo killed hundreds trying and failed.
Makes Hyundeok seem freakish.
He’s a nude mouse spiritually.
Like lab mice engineered immune-less, Hyundeok has zero spiritual immunity. Any spirit invading gets accepted unconditionally.
Not just the [King in Yellow] issue.
He can accept any god’s power. If I were a cultist...
‘I’d revere him as a god’s apostle and drag him into the church.’
Could cause global chaos like yesterday’s mess, or descend a god into his body—instant world-ending easy.
Three-minute apocalypse.
Not dying to that.
“Anyway, get it? Protect him as much as you can.”
“Got it. I’ll keep an eye out for a while.”
“Yeah, Red scares them off anyway, grudges and all.”
Honestly, I designed Red’s traits and powers that way when awakening it.
Even without me, Red’ll devour the mansion’s ghosts and grudges.
“Oh, one more thing I should tell you...”
Sanghyeon seems worried, about to say more, but my phone rings, cutting us off.
“Tudor, hold on.”
—What’re you doing, babe?
“Chilling.”
—Paju’s in crisis—Justice Hero Kim Shin-hwa can’t just chill.
“Requests piling up? I’ll swing by and pick.”
—Heh, no picking.
“Can’t pick?”
—Yeah, your job’s set.
Bad vibes.
“What?”
—Ehehe, huge client requested you! You’re the best! I’m lucky to contract with you!
Worse vibes.
“What’s the job?”
—No fixer’s gotten this gig. First in 20 years, I’d say.
Sounds good, feels bad.
“Catastrophe-level, like Great Collapse stuff.”
—Whoa, too sharp? But please take it.
“Tell me proper, I’ll judge.”
—From Cheon Geum Dang.
“Cheon Geum Dang? Man Geum the Golden King?”
—No, why call him that?
Like he’s your pal? I already took one of his jobs, but.
Tudor, unaware, snaps briefly and continues.
—Cheon Geum Dang’s boss named you.
“Seo Cheon-seul?”