You Pass

The moment that post went up, the gallery started burning even faster.

First, the people attacking the messenger.

People dying to know about the "Blacksmith" whose existence Haeoreum Guild had just officially confirmed.

And then.

…Just the weirdos, too.

But there was one fact none of them knew — because Haeoreum Guild had deliberately withheld it.

Namely: that the weapons from all five guilds involved in the incident had been dumped in the same place.

A dungeon byproduct disposal facility, located in Gwacheon.

And right now, people were gathering there.

"Grandpa, why don't you show us while we're still asking nicely."

"Aigoo, I really can't. If you submit an official request to the Awakener Association and get approval…"

"…Ha. You are genuinely exhausting."

Tap, tap. As if giving voice to his own impatience, the man's footsteps quickened across the floor.

"We're Haeoreum. We can cover something like that, no problem. Or we can just say we looked at the CCTV in secret. All you have to do is say you didn't know, Grandpa. We'll pay the fine. We'll take whatever punishment comes. All right?"

"I'm sorry…. There's no one else to raise my granddaughter. If anything were to happen to me…"

"……For crying out loud."

Tsk, tsk.

No matter how politely he pretends, he can't hide the rot underneath. A true powerhouse, after all, should know how to bow their head even before the weak.

You're out too. Disqualified.

"…Understood. We'll submit a formal request through our legal team, then."

"Yes, if you would do that…"

"One more thing, Grandpa."

"Yes?"

"If something inconvenient happens once we go that route — well. We can't be held responsible."

"……"

Carson dipped his head in a bow.

The man clicked his tongue, slammed the door, and was gone.

Left behind, Carson looked somehow smaller — his shoulders sagging. Well, it stood to reason. Having to keep bowing to humans after becoming a great demon would sour anyone's mood—

"I am so sorry, my Demon Lord."

"Hm?"

"Hrngh, that I would dare call the Demon Lord my granddaughter…! Aaah, how can I ever be forgiven for such blasphemy…!!!"

Ah. So that's what this is about.

I was the one who told him to do it, so I wasn't sure why he was making such a scene. If I kept getting called Demon Lord by that white-haired old man while looking like this, I'd just come off as a brat with no manners.

That was what Chloe had said.

…I'm kind of bored, though. I should've asked if it was okay to charge up while I'm here.

"How many does that make?"

"Nngh… the fourth, my Lord."

"Hah. Is this country so utterly devoid of talent?"

The one who'd kicked the door in without so much as a word. The one who'd tried to threaten him with a handful of cash. The one who'd attempted to sneak a look at that CCTV-or-whatever without even asking, only to get caught and thrown out. And now this one, dripping with false courtesy and the stench of something rotten underneath.

I wasn't expecting anyone to see through to my true nature, not looking like this. But was the bare minimum of courtesy really so much to ask?

No — more than that.

Why do they all send their underlings?

Where on earth had they learned that sending an envoy was proper etiquette for a matter of such diplomatic importance?

The end times. Truly, the end times.

"My Demon Lord, if you are tired, you may retire first…"

That was when it came.

Knock, knock.

A rapping at the door.

"Excuse me, is anyone in? I was told this is the security office…!"

"Go. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠This one seems to be the last of them."

"…Yes, my Demon Lord."

Carson opened the door, and what stood there was, for starters, not a man.

Even by this body's exacting aesthetic standards, a woman of rather excellent appearance. And more than that — the faint scent of wind that hung about her was quite to my liking.

"Hello, sir. I'm Shin Yeeun, Guild Master of Baekyang Guild."

Oho.

So she had come in person, rather than sending some lackey. And on top of that, she bowed her head with proper courtesy even before my subordinate.

I like this one already.

"I see. Might you also be here regarding…"

"Ah… so the other guilds really did come by first. Yes. I came to ask about the whereabouts of that equipment. Would you happen to be able to show me the logs?"

Of course, appearances could deceive as much as one liked. That last fellow had put on the same polite act at first, hadn't he? This Yeeun woman might well show her true colors the moment she didn't get what she wanted.

I'll watch a little longer.

"……I'm afraid I can't show you right away. I'm sorry, Hunter."

"Mm, I figured as much……"

A brief silence.

And then.

"Hah… well, it can't be helped. I'm really sorry for bothering you."

"Not at all. I'm the one who should apologize."

…Ohooo?

Regret dripped from her expression. And yet, even then, she did not cross the line.

"Um, sir…"

Eh. Or maybe not.

I suppose anyone who gives up this cleanly is—

"These aren't much, but… they're sweet, apparently. I originally brought them as a sort of bribe, but… heh, it'd be a waste to throw them out. Please take them. I don't like sweet things anyway."

"……!"

Ohoooo.

Ohooooo…!

She offers tribute!

Now this was a creature with some semblance of manners!

I could not hold myself back. I went straight for the offering.

"Huh? And this little girl is…"

"What is the name of this thing?"

"This? These are macarons……"

Macarons, was it.

Macaron, macaron, macaron.

How colorful they were — and what an adorably cute name, too.

"Um, sir. Why is there a little girl here……?"

"Ah… that's my granddaughter. There's no one else to raise her, so…"

"What? In a place this dangerous…?!"

"……?"

Carson was right here, so why would it be dangerous — ah.

Humans weren't supposed to stay in places thick with demonic energy, were they.

"H-has she been going to school? How old is she?"

"Eleven years of age. School? What is that supposed to — ah, the name of an educational institution, was it. The necessary education was completed long ago."

"For real…? What's your name?"

"This one's name is Saha……"

"…I understand your concern, but it's all right. Why don't we step outside to talk, so my granddaughter doesn't have to hear."

"Sorry? Ah — yes."

Thud.

And with that, Carson led her outside.

In terms of years spent breathing and alive, he had far more than I did, so he'd handle it well enough on his own.

What mattered was this.

This creature called a macaron.

"Huum. The red one, the yellow one, the blue one…. They all look delicious. Choosing is rather difficult. Let's see."

I selected the red one.

It gave off a faintly tart scent; fruit, most likely.

Well, even so, compared to the desserts one could taste at the Demon Castle—

"……!"

Crisp.

Sweet.

Chewy.

"W-what is this…!!!"

Even those snacks the hero bastards made — for all the fuss about how good they were — were a mere fourteen, fifteen times better than the Demon Castle's…!

Damn it.

I'll have no choice but to acknowledge this!

"……Shin Yeeun, was it."

As Demon Lord, I hereby declare.

"Um, here. It isn't much, but…"

"Pardon? No, I really don't need anything like this."

"Please. Take this and go to a hospital. Get your granddaughter checked out first thing. You have to."

"……"

"I'm sorry I can't give you more. Take care."

A bow.

Yeeun pressed a few bills into his hand, dipped her head, and was gone.

Carson was, to put it simply, in a bind. Strictly speaking, he had just taken money from someone he was actively deceiving.

……I hope the Demon Lord took a liking to Miss Yeeun.

By Carson's own standards, she more than made the cut. He'd already looked into what kind of person Shin Yeeun was, after all.

But his own judgment no longer meant anything. His master's decision was his decision.

He let out a long sigh and tapped his fist against the small of his back.

"Oof, my back. I've been bowing my head so much……"

"Hey."

That was when it happened.

A faint rasp of steel. Something sharp slid into place against Carson's throat.

"……"

"Well, well. All that high-and-mighty act, and in the end you just wanted the money. You could've just said so, Grandpa."

"I… believe there may be some misunderstanding, sir."

It was the man who'd been thrown out before Yeeun arrived. One of the few A-rank hunters in Haeoreum's ranks.

Carson had already sensed him watching. He just hadn't expected him to be this impatient.

"Even Shin Yeeun herself showing up in person… Ha. How much did she give you?"

"I'm afraid it isn't like that……"

"We filmed the whole thing. Once word gets out that you took a bribe from the Baekyang Guild Master, prison won't be the end of it."

A slow, grinding pressure. The blade began to bite into his neck.

Carson was, truly, in a bind.

"Aigoo. I-if you keep this up, I really……"

"You ought to think about your granddaughter, Grandpa. Hm? Just because you're in one piece doesn't mean her life is sa— huh?"

Crunch.

The man's neck bones shattered.

"……Huh?"

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

The sensation of his own A-rank hunter's body crumpling like a sheet of paper was something he couldn't believe even as it happened to him.

And it was happening by a single hand. An old man's hand.

"Good grief……"

A flick of the wrist. Carson tossed the man he'd crushed in his grip onto the floor, the way one might discard a rag. The body twitched for a few more seconds, then went still.

"That's why you shouldn't run your mouth……"

Carson rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a phone. Beep, beep, beep. While the call connected, his other hand dug through the opposite pocket, searching for something.

Cigarettes.

"……Ah. I should quit these too, now."

A sharp crack. He closed his fist, and the pack in his hand crumbled into a handful of ash that scattered on the air.

Three hundred and twenty-seven years of smoking. Over.

At the same time, the call — which hadn't taken long at all — connected.

"It's me, Seongtae."

A clattering crash spilled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠through the speaker. He seemed to be scrambling for somewhere private enough to take the call alone.

"Hey now. I'm not Han Seongho anymore. I decided not to use that name."

"It's a thing. It's a precious name, so I'll tell you next time we meet."

Listening to that voice — still excessively deferential — Carson found himself thinking: shouldn't the man have learned to throw his weight around a little, now that he'd made it all the way to Association President?

Well. Whether he did or didn't was none of Carson's concern. He only needed to deliver what he'd called to say.

"I need a guild cleaned up. A day… no. Two days should be enough, right?"