The Black Knight's Deluded Arrival
Kargos of the Monster Association. Its exact scale was shrouded in mystery, but there were currently nine executive-level monsters active in the South Korean branch.
Among them, four who called themselves the moderate faction had gathered in the VIP room of a high-end Chinese restaurant in Seoul. Their purpose: to greet the hardliner parachute dispatch from the hidden world.
"Ah, the sweet-and-sour pork's all soggy now. Why isn't he here yet?"
"Should we just eat without him? It's gonna melt away at this rate."
A man and woman clacking their chopsticks in irritation. The twin monsters, Per and Mer.
"Calm down, Per-Mer. It's been ages since a hardliner crossed over here. They might need time to prepare."
The woman elegantly sipping jasmine tea. The succubus monster, Seika.
"Tch. This is why I hate hardliners. Guys with zero field sense, just full of hot air."
"They'd get it if they had to tangle with magical girls up close~ 'Oh, it's not that easy, huh.'"
"Anyway."
Ulbr Ulvia, who had been scrolling galleries on her smartphone beside them, spoke dryly.
"Why pour the sauce yourself and then worry about it getting soggy?"
"Sweet-and-sour pork's meant to be eaten with sauce poured on, you dumb wolf bitch."
Ulbr's eyes narrowed.
It was a question meant to point out why she'd poured sauce without asking anyone else, but knowing words wouldn't get through anyway, she changed the subject.
"The one's coming this time is from the Black Oath, I hear."
"Ugh, reeks. Of all groups, those battle maniacs?"
"Gonna stink like sweat."
Per-Mer recoiled in disgust, clicking their tongues.
The hidden world had its own ecosystem and a semblance of civilization. It was just a bit different from modern society.
The Black Oath was mainly composed of knight-type monsters like Living Armors. Their temperament was so violently extreme that even among fellow monsters, their reputation wasn't great.
Unlike the moderates, the hardliners were already old-school dinosaurs out of touch with the times. And from the Black Oath on top of that. Whatever the case, they were the worst type for moderate executives who valued work-life balance.
At that moment, Seika spoke up.
"He's here."
The space in the middle of the room tore open, and a gate to the hidden world appeared. Amid a resounding heavy metallic clang, a figure emerged from the darkness: a knight clad head to toe in pitch-black armor.
A greatsword as tall as himself slung on his back, and crimson-glowing eyes peeking from his helmet slits exuded overwhelming intimidation. He was an executive of the Monster Association's hardliner faction and an A-rank monster: the Black Knight, Kargos.
"......The air is stale."
A voice like an echoing cave rumbled from within the helmet.
"So this is South Korea."
Kargos arrogantly turned his head, looking down on the four seated executives.
"Your attitude in greeting me is most unsatisfactory. Have you forgotten even the basic courtesy of kneeling?"
Ah. The tiresome type. The four executives exchanged knowing glances, sharing the exact same thought.
"Hey, we're all executives here, same as you?"
"Scared to fight magical girl bitches, so you hole up in the hidden world—your egos are the only thing big about you."
"Crystal clear now. You moderate executives don't even know what 'strategic retreat' means, you ignorant fools."
Eeeeeek! Just as Per-Mer shrieked in unison and went to hurl their chopsticks, Seika stepped in to mediate.
"Welcome. No motion sickness from the dimensional travel, I hope?"
"Who do you take me for? We are not of the same caliber as witless succubi like you."
What a mouth on him. Seika inwardly tallied another stroke under "patience" and smiled with her eyes.
"Have a seat at least. Some food..."
"I have no need for such trivial sustenance."
Kargos cut her off firmly.
He strode to the window, clenching his fist as he overlooked Seoul's skyline at sunset.
"My purpose is singular: to discipline you lax fools and claim this land for the great Demon King's domain."
Hardliners dispatching monsters like this wasn't common.
The reason Kargos had been sent this time was the recent Kraken death in Busan.
Of course, Kraken wasn't affiliated with the Monster Association. More like a wild monster.
But news of an A-rank monster being slain by a magical girl had reached the hidden world.
The hardliners couldn't overlook it, so under the pretext of establishing a foothold for assessment and tightening discipline on the lax moderates, they'd dispatched Kargos.
He declared, his cape billowing dramatically.
"With my arrival, a festival of blood and screams shall commence upon this land."
Of course, the moderates couldn't care less.
Tsk. The four clicked their tongues in unison.
This was the problem with hardliners. Zero field sense.
At first, they'd thought an S-rank might show up when they heard a hardliner executive was coming.
But just an A-rank? And talking blood and screams? Pfft! If that worked, Ulbr would've smashed everything already.
Was this lunatic planning to start a war right in downtown Seoul?
"Um, Lord Kargos?"
Seika cautiously spoke up.
"Your enthusiasm is admirable, but trends have changed lately. Blindly smashing things isn't cost-effective."
"Cost-effective? You speak of efficiency to a warrior of the battlefield?"
"No, I mean... the magical girls have gotten stronger these days..."
"Magical girls?"
Kargos's red eyes flashed.
"Cowering before mere wretched girls?"
His hand rested on his greatsword's hilt.
"Perfect. They'll make fine first offerings to my blade. Who is the strongest? I'll sever her head and mount it at once."
Per whispered from the side.
"Looks like even the hardliners couldn't handle him and shipped him off."
This time Mer whispered.
"Should we talk him out of suicide? For the Association's future, maybe let him die naturally."
Couldn't agree more. For the first time, Seika fully sided with the dimwitted twins' opinion.
In their eyes, Kargos was the epitome of a lone wolf general. The executives sighed inwardly.
Leave that hothead be, and he'd agro the magical girls within days, getting raided for sure.
Then they'd all get swept up in the mess and deal with the fallout. How to handle—no, rein in—this guy...
Ku-gu-gu-gu-gu...!
Right on cue, Kargos's majestic mana began filling and spreading through the room.
In terms of density and volume, he rivaled top-tier A-rank martial monsters like Ulbr—one of the association's best three.
Not that it was praise.
Turning on mana here? Advertising to the magical girls that monsters were having a gathering?
"Stop! Right now!"
Seika yelped in alarm.
"I get the enthusiasm, but calm down first. You don't know human habits or ecology yet. Study up, then we can do your blood festival or whatever."
Seika swiftly changed tack. "A valid point."
Fortunately, Kargos reined in his mana.
He seemed to understand reason, not a total loose cannon.
"Phew... More importantly, have you prepared the most crucial human disguise?"
"Do not lump me with ignorant fools like you."
Seika tallied another stroke under "patience" inwardly.
"Yes, yes, sorry for calling you ignorant. So, did you prepare?"
"Of course. A form unremarkable to human eyes yet maximally appealing to garner their favor."
Kargos snorted arrogantly.
Human disguises were the privilege of A-rank and above monsters. The key was naturalness and likability.
Not too flashy to blend like water among humans. Yet subconsciously likable to lower their guards.
Like Ulbr as a gym trainer. Per and Mer as average middle school first-years. Seika as a corporate accountant.
"I found the answer in books humans eagerly devour nowadays. The ideal form reflecting their desires."
He declared, cape swirling.
"Behold. This is my camouflage."
With black smoke, the bulky armor vanished. And what appeared was...
"......?"
Flowing blonde hair. Lake-clear blue eyes. A frilly-dressed, eight-year-old noble young lady who looked pampered and adored by all.
"Well?"
A cute voice stamped question marks in the monsters' minds.
What book did he read?
"Compiled from popular characters in web novels humans share. Data aggregated from their ideals."
The blonde loli knight crossed her arms sternly.
So he read webnovels.
Thoroughly biased intel gathering.
"Especially key search terms: 'romance fantasy' and 'headpats.' Humans worship these small beings. They wield absolute power."
That part wasn't super interesting.
"Perfect, no? No human will suspect me in this form."
With that, Kargos reached out a dainty hand and chomped a flower pastry with a big waaah.
Human disguises heavily influenced the body. Hunger hit, sweets tempted.
The sweaty black knight turned blonde girl, and even Per-Mer relaxed a bit.
Seika started tapping her calculator.
He'd be here a while, so they'd need a human identity. With that look...
Hm...?
Gazing at Kargos munching the pastry thoughtfully, Seika snapped her fingers.
"Ah! Not bad at all."
"What's that?"
She turned to gallery-scrolling Ulbr.
"Infiltrate the elementary school Neff attends."
"...Neff? What's that?"
At Kargos's question, Ulbr's face soured—not his fault, but Seika's.
Seika periodically tracked Neff's movements anyway.
They still didn't know the exact address, but rough routes and age were pinned down.
Build and behavior screamed elementary student. So she'd scouted schools in the area.
"Hanwol Elementary, Sinsun Elementary, Gayul Elementary. Neff's at one of these three. Right, Ulbr?"
Ulbr knew exactly which school, grade, and class Neff was in, of course.
But she played dumb. My prey.
Naturally, Seika was frustrated. Share with your teammate, why not?
But she'd given up prying long ago. No confidence in breaking that wolf's stubbornness.
"Pick one of the three to infiltrate. Worst case, bump into her at cram school. Age matches perfectly."
"Elementary...? Like an academy?"
"Something like that."
"An academy? Hmph."
Kargos stroked his chin with a dainty hand and scoffed.
"I've long studied that from the books. Where nobles hold social parties, intrigue unfolds, and romance transcends class. Anticipate my flawless debut in high society."
He was totally misunderstanding, but Seika didn't bother correcting. He'd learn rolling in the dirt soon enough.
She flicked three fingers open and closed, spinning a mental roulette. Hanwol, Sinsun, Gayul. Which one?
"This one'll do."
Seika's finger stopped.
[Hanwol Elementary School]
"Good facilities, chaebol kids attend—perfect for laundering an identity."
She smiled softly at Ulbr.
But Ulbr didn't budge, just silently chewed her pickled radish.
Even succubus mind-reading couldn't pierce her poker face.
Meanwhile, the last piece of sweet-and-sour pork vanished into Per's mouth.
"Burp."
Was that the signal? Silent Ulbr finally spoke.
"Sounds good, but how about tuition?"
"Huh? Tuition?"
"Private school, right? Top-tier noble academy."
Ulbr gestured vaguely with her chopsticks.
"We'll chip in collectively. Can't have executives short on cash."
"Heard it's over ten million won per semester."
The four monsters froze mid-motion.
Ten million won. Per semester. Twenty for a year, plus extras, lunches...
Thus began the monsters' fierce staring contest. Gazes tangled in the air, but none volunteered to open their wallet first.
In the suffocating silence.
Munch munch.
The only one moving was Kargos.
Not just the monsters grappling with tragic economic woes.
"Hing hing hing."
"Neff."
"Hing hing hing hing."
"Save the crying for when we arrive. You're soaking the seat."
In the back seat of Ivy's car, Seol Ha-rin was sobbing with her face smashed against the window.
Frost had limited her spending cap to 500,000 won.
Hing hing hing.