WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Our Precious Demon King ◈
Chapter 86: Everyone's Role
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“Ahh, it's been ages since I found a soul worth having.”
With proper training, this soul could grow to the level of a “Sovereign.”
A soul had to be at least this good to qualify as a retainer of mine, Kim Junyong.
“...If you're that pleased, why are you leaving that Japanese fellow alone?”
“What? Who? Sasaki?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, that guy...”
He had the purest soul Kim Junyong had seen on Earth.
His potential was incredible too, but...
“He's still alive.”
“You could kill him.”
“Wow, aren't you a genius?”
<Conspiring to commit murder is a crime.>
Kim Junyong laughed as the horrified Scales cut in.
“I'm joking.”
“I'm not.”
“I know you're not.”
“...”
Kim Remi stuck out her lower lip.
“Anyway, I'm not killing him.”
“Tsk.”
She couldn't understand what Master was thinking.
He loved collecting souls with great potential so much, after all.
The reason was far too human for Remi Nox, the Devil's Sword, to understand.
“All right, let's go.”
They had eaten well and slept in a spacious, comfortable hotel.
After sightseeing today, he was starting to want to go home.
Going out was nice, but wasn't home still the best?
“Aren't you going to give Ferus a physical form?”
“Hehe, I'll do that when we get back.”
Ferus was a human who had died long ago. Even with a physical form, Ferus would simply be a man or a woman.
He could do it in Korea.
No, that would be better.
That way, Ferus would take on an Asian appearance and blend right in.
“Let's go home now.”
“Huh? Already? I wanted to see the Vatican too.”
“Then go see it.”
“What? How am I supposed to do that without you?”
As Kim Jangmi hesitated, reluctant to leave, Lorenzo stepped forward.
“My lady, please give me the chance to be your guide!”
Lorenzo looked at Kim Junyong with pleading eyes.
“I'll take full responsibility for making sure she has a safe and enjoyable tour!”
Kim Junyong chuckled.
“Ed.”
“Meow!”
“Protect my sister.”
“Meow! Don't worry!”
Having Ed to protect her seemed to put Kim Jangmi at ease.
Returning home only took a tap on her phone anyway.
She had come all the way to Europe without enduring that long flight. She wanted to enjoy another day before leaving.
“What about you two?”
“I'm going with Uncle.”
“I'll go home too.”
Yu Jihun and Yu Jia abandoned their mother.
Naturally, Kim Remi would return too. These days, she spent more time guarding Yu Jia than Kim Junyong.
Only Kim Jangmi and Ed would remain in Rome.
“See you tomorrow, then.”
“Mom, don't come home too late.”
Flash!
They vanished in an instant.
“Meow! Let's get going too! Without Master here, we'll have to hurry, meow.”
Teleporting to the coordinates of places where dungeons had appeared was Kim Junyong's ability.
Now that he was gone, they would have to travel between tourist attractions by car.
“Ah, understood.”
Lorenzo hurried to request support from the Supernatural Abilities Bureau.
‘Her influence is enormous.’
The whole world was watching the “Special One” and treating him with caution.
If anyone in the world could keep him in line, it was the person standing before Lorenzo.
Kim Jangmi.
‘Rose Kim.’
He had to make sure this woman remembered Italy, whatever it took.
“Meow! Let's go, meow!”
That cat, who frequently offered opinions on the food, was a bonus.
With a determined expression, Lorenzo began his work as a guide.
* * *
Flash!
They appeared in the yard of the house where the base core stood.
“Oh.”
He had only spent one night away, but the place had changed quite a bit.
Though it was the middle of the night, the construction site was brightly lit.
People and machines bustled back and forth.
“They're really moving fast.”
“Wow.”
“There are so many people.”
Trucks formed a long line, and even traffic police had been brought in to direct them.
Construction had been proceeding under the cover of an archaeological excavation. After the “Conqueror's Monument” appeared, the entire area had become a restricted zone.
All the nearby residents had been moved to evacuation shelters for “safety reasons.” The main road through Hansan 2-dong, which had been starting to come alive as a food street, was now closed off.
“Oh, Adviser!”
“Waaah, Adviser!”
Lee Mina and Cheon Yubeom, who had been eating something on the first floor, came running out.
“Oh, looks like you did make some progress.”
“Sniff... We really went through hell.”
“We nearly died.”
“Isn't that obvious?”
You had to face death to get stronger.
Looking at human subordinates one and two, who were finally becoming useful, Kim Junyong took out the gifts he had prepared.
Flash!
“Here. Take these.”
“Oh! What are these?”
“Wait, are these...?”
Both looked full of anticipation.
Once they took them, they confirmed that they were indeed subspace pouches.
Incredibly rare and valuable artifacts.
They couldn't compare to Kim Junyong's subspace magic, which used the space of an entire dungeon, but even these were remarkable.
“Wow, I actually get to see one in person! Ahh, thank you!”
“I'll put it to good use! The space must be at least twice...”
They were practical pouches that attached to a belt at the waist.
The opening closed with a drawstring rather than a button, but that actually made them more secure.
As Lee Mina examined the artifact, she gasped.
“Wh-what's with the space inside this?”
“What about it?”
“It's way too big!”
“Hm?”
Kim Junyong held out his hand, and Lee Mina passed him the pouch.
He examined it.
‘It's not that big.’
It was about two meters long, wide, and high.
Considering the size of the little pouch, that was an enormous expansion of space. But didn't it need at least that much room to be useful?
‘Everything's still inside.’
It was full of all kinds of magical equipment, precious medicinal ingredients, and gear such as staves.
“Who did you get this from?”
“A court mage from the imperial palace.”
Kim Junyong chuckled at Remi's answer.
The empire must have a vacant court mage position now.
In any case, he moved everything into his own storage and returned the empty pouch to Lee Mina.
“Make good use of it.”
“Yes!”
The pouch he had given Cheon Yubeom was one left in the tribute storehouse of his dungeon in Belheim.
It had been empty from the start.
The space inside was about the same size.
“Where's Luciel?”
“He said he wouldn't dare visit while the owner was away.”
“That guy.”
He was quick to read a situation.
Or was that only natural?
He had been the head butler of the Demon King's Castle, after all.
“Luciel.”
Whirrr.
At Kim Junyong's call, Luciel appeared with a pop.
Perhaps he had used modeling to create new clothes for himself. He wore a modern suit, his hair neatly swept back. With round glasses that suited him perfectly, he looked like an elite office worker.
Since he had used Cheon Yubeom as his modeling subject, he appeared to be in his thirties. Not looking too young actually gave him a neat, professional air.
“Wow, clothes really do make the man.”
“Is proper attire not a matter of courtesy?”
He had chosen clothes suited to a “head butler” here on Earth.
Fortunately, Master seemed pleased.
“You trained them well.”
“I did my utmost.”
Luciel bowed politely.
He beamed at the praise.
Cheon Yubeom and Lee Mina turned pale at the memory of their training, but the results were impressive.
They had become super-rank hunters, SR-rank, no less.
Their progress was still hard to believe.
“Are these your new pets?”
“Huh? My niece and nephew?”
“...!”
Luciel panicked.
Master's niece and nephew?
Shit, I'm screwed.
Hm? Was Master human?
No, I need to fix this first...
His new master was the Mad Sovereign!
Lies wouldn't work on him.
Thud.
Luciel threw himself flat on the ground.
“I have been unforgivably rude to the young master and young lady.”
“N-no, it's fine.”
“P-please get up.”
Yu Jihun and Yu Jia were startled and tried to stop him, but Luciel didn't move a muscle. All his attention was focused on Kim Junyong.
“Get up.”
“Yes, sir.”
Kim Junyong chuckled as he looked at Luciel.
That single word, “pets,” gave him a clear picture of how Cheon Yubeom and Lee Mina had been treated in the Demon Realm.
“I will gladly accept any punishment.”
He looked at Luciel, who bowed his head.
Well, if he was asking for punishment, he should receive it.
Rewards and punishments for retainers had to be clear.
“From now on, you won't leave this dungeon.”
“As you command.”
“This is where I, my retainers, and my family live.”
“I shall treat them as I would you, Master, and protect them.”
Kim Junyong nodded.
“Good. I'll make you the dungeon keeper.”
“You grant this sinner an honor far beyond his worth. I shall serve you to the best of my ability.”
Luciel politely placed one hand over his chest and bowed.
A dungeon keeper could sense every part of the dungeon.
If Kim Junyong was going to leave Luciel in charge, he had to give him the authority.
As for Ed, he could just run the restaurant from now on.
His real talent was draining luck anyway.
“Let's get some rest, then. Fried chicken later if you get hungry?”
“Oh, sounds good!”
“Me too.”
“All right, off you go. Call me if you're hungry.”
“Okay, Uncle.”
Yu Jia and Yu Jihun headed into their new home, which still felt unfamiliar.
“Whew, that was some trip. Right?”
“Yeah.”
“What? Didn't you enjoy it?”
“I did.”
“Then why do you sound so unenthusiastic?”
“...”
“Hey, have you been to the Demon Realm?”
“Uh, huh?”
Yu Jia narrowed her eyes at Yu Jihun's flustered expression.
“So you have.”
“Y-yeah.”
“What was it like?”
“Wh-why are you asking about that?”
“Uh, huh?”
This time, Yu Jia was flustered.
“Are you interested in being a hunter?”
“No!”
“Whoa, what's this? They say the harder you deny it, the more you mean yes.”
“Oh, leave me alone!”
Yu Jia stormed into her room.
“Sheesh, what a temper.”
Yu Jihun entered his own room and turned on his computer.
Out of habit, he opened the Demon Realm Forum.
He was no longer an “ordinary person,” but a “hunter.”
Besides the public posts, he could now freely read the private posts meant only for hunters.
“Sigh.”
But it wasn't as fun as before.
The eighth grader who had vaguely admired hunters and lived vicariously through their stories had become a real hunter himself.
The monsters he had faced in the Demon Realm were nothing like what he had imagined.
“I'm such an idiot.”
He had become the hunter he had always dreamed of being.
In his imagination, he would go swish, swish, hunting monsters and bravely handling everything. But when he actually faced one, his body froze. He couldn't even move properly.
The gap between imagination and reality had been horribly clear.
He was lucky he hadn't wet himself.
“Sigh. Still, I'm glad Uncle changed it for me.”
What kind of class was Student, anyway?
Now he was a Spirit Mage, a proper magic class.
He looked around.
There was nothing to use as a summoning medium.
He left his room, filled a cup at the water dispenser, then returned and locked his bedroom door. He looked at the cup.
“Hello?”
Splashhh.
A stream of water rose from the cup and formed a tiny dolphin.
“Do you think I can do this?”
[Squeak, squeak.]
“Aww, you're so cute.”
Yu Jihun grinned at the dolphin-like water spirit's playful behavior.
Yeah, I can take my time.
How am I supposed to overcome every hardship and trial like the heroes?
I'm just a hunter who got lucky and awakened because I have an uncle like mine.
One step at a time.
For now, my next growth target is ninth grade.
Let's grow up first.
* * *
Yu Jia flopped onto her bed.
The light was too bright, so she covered her eyes with her forearm.
“Haah.”
She felt stifled.
Nineteen years old. A high-school senior. A student with less than two months left before the college entrance exam.
“Jia, Jia. What's wrong with you?”
She tried talking to herself for no particular reason.
She couldn't seem to settle her mind.
It felt as though all the hard work she had put into her life was being denied.
As though something hidden deep inside her heart was stirring.
Even while traveling,
even while eating delicious food,
no matter what she did, this thirst wouldn't go away.
It was suffocating.
Knock, knock.
She shouted at the knock without thinking.
“Get out!”
“I haven't even come in!”
“What do you want?”
“Uncle says to come have fried chicken!”
“Ugh.”
Yu Jia sighed and got up.
Still, she couldn't miss fried chicken.
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