Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Demon's Talent
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"So."
The incident was wrapped up. Of course it was. The barrier the demon lord had put up vanished when I killed him, and Justitia sent people over after spotting the barrier and the pillar.
I pinned the demon lord's death on Kim Tae-hyun. I just said I showed up and found the kid passed out. It sounded way more believable that the number one rank took him down than some rank seven hundred kid suddenly offing a demon lord.
After that, everything went smoothly. Training got canceled, and I could spend Sunday chilling at home. I did hear Rosaline screaming bloody murder over the communicator from the rescue team, but that's not my problem.
"Make your excuses."
Two people were kneeling in front of me. Well, one was on his knees. The other was the idiot who'd played hide-and-seek with me and Lily.
"Isn't this what they call trust? We believed in you, Seong-hoon, so we could focus on that damn demon."
"One more show of that 'trust' and I'm dead? You wanna die?"
"Doesn't trust grow deeper the more danger we face?"
Ha ha. I laughed, and Raphael joined in. Leviathan, perched on my lap, laughed along without knowing why.
They must love it when we laugh. I stroked Leviathan's head.
"Leviathan."
"What do you want for breakfast tomorrow? Mom said she'll make it."
"Pizza? Sounds good. Excited?"
Leviathan thrust both hands up and let out a weird squeal. Raphael had never cooked for him once, so he seemed extra thrilled.
"........."
And the one in question? She was staring at the floor, sweating bullets.
"Seong-hoon."
Can't hear you.
"Seong-hoon. We call it even? I saved your life once, right?!"
Don't know. You dug your own grave. Make it yourself, buy it, grab it from the convenience store—figure it out.
I ignored Raphael clinging to me and turned to the other one on her knees.
"Lily."
"........."
"You too. Make your excuses."
"It... wasn't me who put her up to it."
"Then?"
Lily dodged my gaze at my question. Sweat poured down, and her pupils shook like there was an earthquake.
"I just... told the boss to cancel the contract..."
"You snitched?"
She nodded.
I laughed at the confirmation. Lily awkwardly scratched the back of her head and laughed along.
Now it made sense.
The reason the demon lord attacked. It was because of me. No, precisely because of Lily. I did nothing wrong.
Water under the bridge now. I'd told her to steal the contract without knowing, so of course the higher-ups marked her.
For now, Rosaline's barrier kept things fine, but demon lord raids were inevitable from here on.
"........."
No answers no matter how I thought, so I decided to leave it to future me. Right now, these punks pissed me off, so time to deal with the one in front of me.
"Lily."
"........."
"You need some mental re-education from Benia."
At that, Lily shot up and clung to me. Raphael beside her started shaking me too.
"Seong-hoon!! You know I suck with money!! Please!! Call it even!! I'm great at frying stuff? Let's do fries for breakfast? Keep it simple?!"
"Please. Please just this once. Please. That dragon will actually kill me!!"
"Seong-hoon!!"
"Spare me!!"
Being shaken from both sides made me dizzy. Gonna hurl. Leviathan giggled like it was fun from my wobbling lap, then locked eyes with Lily and froze.
"Yeah."
What?
Everyone in the living room froze at those words. Raphael stopped. I stopped and looked at Lily.
"Leviathan. Doesn't she look like she's on fire to you?"
Ah. Lily gulped. We all heard it at the same time.
Hmm. Yeah.
Bye, Lily.
Who told you to wear that outfit?
Sunday lunch scene. Not bad, I think.
My companion cat and kid gleefully playing hide-and-seek in the living room.
The freeloader sprawled on the couch reading comics after giving up.
The demon, fresh from mental re-education, in a maid outfit prepping lunch.
Peaceful and nice. But why the maid getup? No idea why Benia obsesses over maids, but I won't dig deeper.
Feels like I shouldn't.
"Lily."
"......Yes."
"If it tastes bad or you add weird stuff, you know what happens, right?"
"You think I'd do that? Benia would kill me on the spot. You'd kill me too."
"True. Behave yourself~"
"......"
Her tail thwacking the floor answered instead. I played on my phone amid the cheerful sound.
The recipient? Shin Ga-yeon. Simple reason.
Reply came in under a second. Kinda scary, but probably coincidence.
Why? To spar her with Kim Tae-hyun. I took down a demon lord in his place, so plenty of excuse for a spar. We've saved each other once.
Yeah, ask and hand it over. I waited for the reply, but it seemed it'd take a while, so I set the phone down.
Looked around—everyone but me was busy. Felt lame to butt in, so I opened [Menu].
Is this the family man's plight? Bust your ass earning money, only to grow distant from the fam?
"Hm?"
An unexpected window greeted me when I opened [Menu]. I'd meant to check points for Scythe Mastery, but my eyes drifted there.
"?"
A question mark popped up in my head. New tab? [Menu] only had [Inventory], [Status], [Skills].
Curious about the fourth one, I entered—and got it immediately.
Info on my contractees, huh. And Benia's my familiar? Shouldn't it be the other way?
"Whatever, good is good."
Eh. She built a house in my [Inventory], so familiar it is. Hate it? GTFO.
My arbitrary logic satisfied, I tapped [Lily].
Obviously yes. Tap, and Lily's status popped up.
"Eh. Nothing special."
Just for status checks? Convenience feature— I scrolled down thinking that, then spotted something unbelievable.
What? Tapped for explanation.
"Ah."
Right. Stole that demonic energy conversion contract from the demon lord this time.
Demons evolve by gathering demonic energy. They collect souls for it, and back in the day, ate each other.
"Shows up 'cause I'm the master?"
Wanted to hit Y for power boost, but...
Thwack! Thwack!
Saw her tail smacking irritably, and the urge vanished.
This is for hammering home who's boss first, then take credit.
Carrot and stick.
Wondering when to evolve her, my phone buzzed.
Assumed Shin Ga-yeon, lit the screen—different sender.
"Raphael."
She trotted over from her book and snacks, cookie in mouth.
"What? Why the serious face? Mirror check? I'll admit it if so."
Ignored her and showed the phone.
Pic of Isia and Sophia smiling awkwardly.
"Does this look like friends to you?"
"Wow. Even people who just fought look closer."
True. That forced smile screams not friends. I texted Sophia back quick.
Hope you bond.
Ignored further replies, set the phone down. Lily brought food.
Delicious aroma rose from the pot.
"Whoa. Demon's got talent?"
"N... no."
"Oh. Just read Lily's mind. It's 'cause you're incompetent. Right? Right, Lily?"
"That's your inner thoughts, Seong-hoon!!"
Raphael charged. Dodged the headbutt by a hair.
"You're charging mindlessly too much lately."
"Says the king of mindless charges."
Look at this. Our bickering drew scent-sniffing Leviathan and Lachesis.
Arms out, so I picked them up naturally onto my lap. Leviathan's fave spot these days.
Makes me cross my legs even sitting alone.
Ladled soup into Leviathan's bowl, scooped with spoon. Sniffed the subtle aroma, shoved in mouth.
Three seconds. Exactly three seconds of silence.
"""Tastes awful!!!"
Broth and chunks flew through the air.
"Hmph."
Isia lay on her dorm bed, lips pursed. Sophia's unauthorized pic meant two extra hours out.
The last two were fun, though. Midway through fighting, they tired and just played chess.
Beginner Sophia? Isia racked up wins and enjoyed it.
Still not thrilled. Recalling Sophia's words pursed her lips more.
—Hugged me.
—Said he'd give me a ring too?
—Wants to eat my bento every day.
"What hug? What every day?"
Most annoying? Planning a ring for Sophia too. Isia raised her left hand.
Black ring sparkled brighter under fluorescent light.
"Wasn't it just for me?"
Stared at the ring on her ring finger. Pursed lips relaxed, corners crept up.
—Brought it 'cause it suits you.
That thought warmed her face; she opened the window.
"Ahem. Still, only gave it to me so far."
I'm the only one with his ring. Saying that, Isia's lips grinned wide.
'Tomorrow, call him out with club excuse.'
Club. Got dragged recently for "activity." Seong-hoon's the prez, perfect pretext.
Grinning at the window, she startled.
"Why's it so hot?"
Still cool out.