Chapter 294
Chapter 294
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 294
Chapter Title: Interlude - Banquet (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A fierce killing intent pricked at his skin.
Sharp, silver eyes, narrowed to slits, fixed on Oh-jin.
“Did you… lay a hand on my daughter?”
“It's a misunderstanding.”
Oh-jin, who'd never imagined such a bombshell would drop from Riru's lips, couldn't help but feel wronged.
But how could any father keep his cool after watching the precious daughter he'd cherished his whole life utter such filthy words?
Especially since Reoru was already quite drunk.
Expecting him to think rationally was out of the question.
“No matter how angelically beautiful my Riru is…!”
*Crack!*
Reoru transformed into his werewolf form.
A vicious aura exploded in all directions.
“How dare you! To my Riruuuuu!”
“Ah, Dad! It's not like that!”
“Ca-calm down, Chief!”
Even the other members of the Silver Mane Tribe, who had been drinking with them, rushed over to restrain the shrieking Reoru, whose eyes had rolled back in fury.
After the commotion, which had turned the lively drinking party into an outright inferno, had died down.
“…I apologize.”
Reoru bowed his head deeply after hearing the whole story.
Beside him, Riru fidgeted, glancing around nervously.
“Riru.”
“*Hiccup?!*”
“…Never say such things again.”
“S-sorry.”
Riru lowered her head, looking dejected.
Reoru let out a deep sigh and glared at the subordinate who had put such strange ideas into Riru's head.
“I'll be sure to tell your wife about this.”
“Ch-Chief, anything but that!”
“Silence!”
He kicked away the clinging subordinate and stood up.
“Let's call it a night.”
“Yes, let's.”
In any case, they couldn't drink anymore because Reoru's rampage had smashed all the tables and chairs.
“Mr. Oh-jin.”
“Yes?”
“What is your next destination?”
“…I'm not sure.”
There had been some ups and downs, but for now, his business in the Beastkin Kingdom was successfully concluded.
The remaining places were the Dragonian Kingdom and the Demon Kingdom.
He had to decide which one to head to first.
‘If it were up to me, I'd go straight to the Demon Kingdom.’
But his fight with Kalike had changed his mind.
‘Heading straight for the Demon Kingdom is too dangerous.’
No matter how much Oh-jin's party possessed the power of a one-man army, the same was true for the demons.
Even if he wanted to request support from Earth, they were busy dealing with the named demonic beasts that had begun to make their moves in earnest.
In that case, the only option Oh-jin had right now was…
“First, I plan to go to the Dragonian Kingdom.”
To borrow the strength of the beastkin and dragonians to fight the demons.
That was the only way to stand against them.
“You mean the Dragonian Kingdom?”
“So that's what it's called.”
“…You didn't even know its name?”
“No.”
Having been in the Demon Realm for less than a month, he was still severely lacking in information.
“Hmm. Then I assume you don't know how to get there either.”
“Have you been there, Chief?”
“No. I haven't been there myself either.”
“I see.”
He had hoped to get some useful information from Reoru.
Oh-jin clicked his tongue in disappointment.
“But I do know the way. However…”
“Is there a problem?”
“It takes a very long time because you have to go around the Sky Mountains.”
“The Sky Mountains?”
And what was that?
“Ahem. I should probably start by explaining that.”
Reoru began to speak with a troubled expression.
“There are three forbidden zones in the Demon Realm. The Forest of the Demon Sea that you crossed, the Sky Mountains, and a place called the Barren Valley.”
The Forest of the Demon Sea, the Sky Mountains, and the Barren Valley.
“Their locations… are roughly like this.”
Reoru picked up a nearby twig and drew a map on the ground.
The Forest of the Demon Sea was familiar since Oh-jin had passed through it, but there was another terrain that looked quite familiar as well.
“…This was the Barren Valley?”
“Ah, yes. You knew of it?”
“I've actually been there.”
The place where Oh-jin had first arrived in the Demon Realm after being sucked into a black rift.
The Barren Valley was where grotesquely shaped demonic beasts, so hideous they could make one nauseous just by looking at them, resided.
‘So I've already been to two of the three forbidden zones of the Demon Realm.’
Oh-jin let out a dry laugh and examined the map Reoru had drawn.
“The Dragonian Kingdom is right past the Sky Mountains?”
“Yes. But I don't recommend crossing the Sky Mountains.”
Reoru shook his head, his expression grim.
“The Sky Mountains are Behemoth's territory.”
“Behemoth?”
“It's a powerful demonic beast that rules over the entire Sky Mountains region. A beast that has received the grace of a Black Star.”
The grace of a Black Star.
Oh-jin's eyes gleamed sharply.
The image of the mother monster he had fought when he first fell into the Demon Realm flashed through his mind.
‘A spirit.’
A being that, like Riak, had inherited a part of a constellation's soul.
Considering the absurd power the mother monster had displayed, it was best to avoid it if possible.
“How long will it take to go around the mountains?”
“The Sky Mountains are so vast… even if you travel quickly, it will take nearly two months.”
Wasting two months when the demons were preparing a large-scale invasion of Earth was a fatal mistake.
“…Can you tell me more about this Behemoth?”
“Don't tell me you're thinking of crossing the mountains?”
“I don't have much time.”
He had already crossed the Forest of the Demon Sea and the Barren Valley.
There was no reason to avoid only the Sky Mountains.
“Well, I have no intention of trying to hunt Behemoth or anything like that.”
The only reason to cross the Sky Mountains was to reach the Dragonian Kingdom even a day sooner.
There was no reason to confront a Black Star's spirit.
“…Hmm.”
Reoru swallowed and nodded.
“Behemoth is a demonic beast blessed by Felis, the Constellation of the Cat. It's also called the 'Black Storm' because of its terrifying speed.”
“Is there a way to avoid it?”
“That… I can only say you'll have to be lucky.”
Reoru shook his head with a troubled expression.
“The creature roams the entire Sky Mountains as if it's its own home, so the only way to avoid it is to cross the mountains and pray you don't run into it.”
“…I see.”
Oh-jin clicked his tongue and frowned.
The fact that the only ‘method’ was to pray he wouldn't run into it was deeply annoying.
‘If there's no other way, then it can't be helped.’
He had to get to the Dragonian Kingdom quickly, even if it meant fighting Behemoth in the worst-case scenario.
“Thank you for the information.”
“No. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.”
Reoru bowed his head, his expression stiff.
He wanted to send an escort to help Oh-jin, but with the pro-demon faction still remaining within the kingdom, he couldn't afford to send precious forces away.
“It's fine.”
“…Once things in the Khan Kingdom are settled, I will definitely help you, Mr. Oh-jin.”
“Just hearing that is reassuring.”
Oh-jin chuckled and rose from his seat.
“Well then, I'll be off to bed.”
The banquet was over.
Now it was time to conserve his strength for crossing the Sky Mountains.
* * *
The next day.
“Ugh… my head hurts…”
Ha-eun walked out like a zombie, clutching her head as if her hangover refused to subside.
Despite her messy hair and clothes, her beauty hadn't faded in the slightest.
“You okay?”
“Ugh. I'm dying.”
Spotting Oh-jin packing his things, Ha-eun scurried over.
She clung to him like a cicada, then tilted her head up slightly and closed her eyes.
“Kiss.”
Honestly, why is she being so shameless this early in the morning?
“No.”
“Aw, why not?”
“Your breath stinks.”
“What do you mean, my breath stinks?”
“Don't you remember throwing up yesterday?”
“W-what? I threw up?”
“You did.”
On me, no less.
“Aish, what the hell? It really does stink.”
She must have rinsed her mouth out yesterday, but it seemed the smell hadn't completely disappeared, as Ha-eun frowned.
“I'm gonna go wash up first!”
“Okay.”
“Kiss when I get back!”
Oh-jin chuckled as he watched Ha-eun's retreating back as she scampered outside.
Anyone else watching would probably cringe into a ball.
But what could he do?
If she asks, he has to deliver.
“Hmm… then today, I'll go first.”
Isabella, who had approached him at some point, closed her eyes and puckered her lips.
Oh-jin gave her a light kiss, and Isabella smiled bashfully.
“Are we leaving today?”
“Yeah.”
“I wanted to stay a little longer… what a shame.”
“Well, we've done everything we needed to.”
There was no reason to stay here any longer.
“I should go say goodbye to the villagers.”
“Mr. Reoru will probably gather the tribe members in a bit.”
It hadn't been a long acquaintance, but they couldn't just leave without saying goodbye.
Oh-jin and Isabella finished packing and went outside.
The village was bustling from the morning, likely cleaning up after yesterday's banquet.
Watching the beastkin hurry about, Oh-jin smiled faintly.
“Without you and Ha-eun, I wouldn't have been able to see such a peaceful sight.”
Just because he was a con artist didn't mean all his human sentiments had dried up.
Perhaps because he came from Seoul, a city full of buildings and apartments, the scenery of this quiet country village strangely stirred his emotions.
“We didn't really do much.”
“Come to think of it, who were the demons that invaded the village?”
Things had been so hectic that he hadn't had a chance to check.
“You know that mansion we first visited? It was the demon living there.”
“Aha. So it was the one with the weakest influence.”
Right. There was no need to send strong forces to attack a village where all the warriors had left, leaving only the elderly and children.
“What about the other one?”
“Pardon?”
“There should have been two demons who attacked the village. One was the guy from the mansion we first visited, so who was the other one?”
Two demons were killed by the Silver Mane Tribe in the royal castle.
One demon was killed by Oh-jin.
They said there were a total of five demons in the kingdom, so the other two must have headed for the village.
“…What are you talking about?”
Isabella frowned and tilted her head.
“There was only one demon in the village.”
“……”
Oh-jin's expression hardened.
If there was only one demon in the village…
‘What the…’
Of the five demons in the Khan Kingdom, four were dead.
In that case.
Where in the world was the last one?