The Modern Founding Chronicles of the Returned Demon King

The Modern Founding Chronicles of the Returned Demon King

Episode 24: Press Conference (2)

Of course, I had no intention of revealing everything. I just wanted to disclose their identities. The press conference room quickly turned chaotic, and Hyude whispered, flustered, “Yo, Your Majesty…”

“Stay still, Hyude.”

I quietly looked at the reporters. Fear, curiosity, and skepticism filled the room. The wall between humans and demons is difficult to overcome. The term ‘demon’ has been synonymous with terror that has killed countless humans over 30 years.

Korea has its own trauma regarding this. But this is a barrier that must be overcome eventually, as there is no turning back after summoning them. Now we have to gradually dismantle this wall of ‘discrimination’.

“…Could you please elaborate?” Kim Eun-ha asked again.

“Just as I said. Hyude is not human, he’s a demon. However, don’t misunderstand. He’s entirely different from the demons who kill our people.”

“Then, this Hyude is different from the demons that emerge from the Gates?”

“Exactly. As for Hyude, the only difference between him and humans is his skin color and strength. The same goes for Quel next to him.”

Indeed, after watching them for a long time, I saw that they were not very different from humans. From my perspective, humans even seemed more malicious.

“…I cannot believe this.” Kim Eun-ha mumbled as if chewing on her rage.

For the first time, she showed an emotional face. I knew why she felt this way.

“Can you guarantee that those two demons won’t harm humans?”

“Only if humans don’t try to harm them first. But isn’t that the same with humans? The animal that kills humans the most, aside from monsters, is other humans.”

“That’s true, but…”

Kim Eun-ha shook her head slightly and regained her composure.

“My younger sibling lost their life 10 years ago, killed by a demon that emerged from a collapsed Gate.”

I knew that. I had unintentionally seen it.

“So, you’re absolutely sure that these demons won’t act like that?” Kim Eun-ha pointed at Hyude.

I tapped the table with my index finger before speaking.

“So, you’re saying you regard all demons as enemies because of your sibling’s death?”

“Yes, they are indeed the enemies of humans.”

This was a common perception of demons shared by everyone present. Kim Eun-ha clenched her fist, struggling to contain her emotions.

“I also found out that you recently attended a meeting. Why would you…”

That must have been the ‘2040 Gate Collapse Victims Meeting’. She couldn’t understand why someone who suffered from demons would protect them. It’s true that I used to hate ‘demons’ before I became the Demon King. However, I had another existence that I despised.

I sighed deeply and said, “Yes, I share a similar wound. I also lost my parents 10 years ago in a Gate collapse.”

“Then why are you defending the demons?”

“I never said I lost my parents to demons. Actually, it wasn’t any monster that killed them, it was humans.”

“…What?”

Heavy silence enveloped the conference room. Amidst the silence, a deep voice flowed.

“While running away with my parents and sister, a man in front of us pushed my parents toward the pursuing demons. I saw it all, the twisting of limbs, the splattering of blood.”

“Stop, please!”

“Anyway, that’s how my parents died. Ironically, my sister and I survived because of that.”

Yes, my parents died at the hands of a demon, but wouldn’t the outcome have been different if it weren’t for those ‘humans’ in front of us?

“So now I’ll ask you.”

Sometimes, I wondered.

“Are humans my enemy?”

Whooosh!

The moment my index finger touched the table, an overwhelming pressure filled the room. It felt as if gravity had increased, compressing the space and crushing their bodies. An unconscious outburst as my emotions intensified. Even the S-class hunters, along with Hyude and Quel, couldn’t lift their heads under the descending aura.

In a space where no one could move, I gave a bitter smile.

“So, tell me. Should I really consider you, humans, as my enemies?”

No one answered. Even Kim Eun-ha, who had asked the question, remained silent. It wasn’t so much that they were overwhelmed by my aura, rather, they simply had nothing to say.

When I lifted my finger from the table, the tension eased. Each of them exhaled a quick breath in the space that returned to its original state.

“Well, I don’t intend to persuade you with this sort of logic. I’m not going to ask you to drop your prejudices right now,” I said, staring at Kim Eun-ha, who held her head high.

“Just watch. As we did this time, we will continue to prove ourselves. Now, I’ll take the next question.”

No hands went up as they had at the beginning. Eventually, someone mustered the courage to ask me a question.

“…I can’t speak for the others, but I’m also uncertain. While I do trust Hyude due to his accomplishments during the S-rank Gate collapse, there’s no guarantee for this Quel.”

The perception of demons now is probably similar to how East Asians were perceived in the early 1900s. Or perhaps it’s even worse in Korea.

“Exactly. I don’t think a few actions will completely dispel the discomfort. So, although I’d rather not, I’m planning to use a bit of coercion.”

“Coercion?”

“Yes.”

Even fearsome beasts like tigers and lions become less frightening and more mysterious when chained. Until they see us as demons they can trust, I intend to protect them from within my sphere of influence.

“Hyude, Quel, come forward.”

Seemingly pleased, they walked around the long table and stood across from me, then waited in an upright posture.

The atmosphere grew tense. A fragrant scent of purity and antiquity dominated the press conference.

When complete silence fell, I spoke.

“Kneel.”

Complying, they both knelt on one knee, bowing their heads in reverence.

“‘We offer our deepest reverence to our honorable king.'”

And with that, the press conference came to an end.

***

Needless to say, chaos ensued after the press conference. Opinions on Hyude and Quel were still divided, both domestically and internationally. Some were skeptical, others felt reassured.

The next day, Kim Eun-ha visited the guild building.

“I apologize. I crossed the line without fully understanding the situation.”

“You have every right to question. In fact, your strong stance led to a more favorable outcome. Don’t worry about it.”

Kim Eun-ha then apologized to Hyude and Quel. They didn’t seem to mind, they’d rather people badmouth them than me.

“That’s fine.”

“Same here.”

“Thank you.”

After a moment, she straightened her back and faced me.

“Honestly, I still don’t know how to treat them. But I’ll try not to impose my prejudices on them.”

“Thanks, that’s enough for now.”

“Then I’ll be going. Take care.”

“Be careful.”

Kim Eun-ha gave a final bow and turned away.

“…Ah.”

She seemed to remember something and turned to look at Hyude and Quel.

“What are your names?”

“I’m Hyude.”

“I’m Quel.”

“I see… I’m Kim Eun-ha. See you again.”

She left the office with a light smile. Quel watched the door close and spoke.

“She’s an interesting woman.”

“Indeed, that’s what I’m saying.”

Still, the beginning doesn’t seem too bad. No, things have actually resolved much more smoothly than I expected.

If I can contribute to defeating the Seven Deadly Sins here, my perception will further improve. Don’t be impatient, take your time. Just like how the demons of Solomon changed my perception of the demons.

“Your Majesty, the Demon King.”

A voice calls me at the same time.

Sitting in the guild office, I stood up from my seat.

“Yes, come in.”

I then walked over to the window filled with sunlight.

“Those damned creatures.”

As if someone was tearing the sky apart, a dark gate was forming in the air.

A massive gate, like a black lake in the sky.

Whooosh-

From that gate, massive chunks of land began to flow out.

Floating in the air rather than falling, moving slowly.

Every time it was spat out, the rays of the sun were being swallowed.

Finally, when darkness came, a floating island completely covered the sky over Yongsan-gu.

I know roughly what that is.

The capital of the ‘Demon King of Greed,’ the ‘Canaan Floating Island.’

A black window appeared in the sky.

[Invitation from the Demon King of Greed] (Time Limit – 24:00:00)

Description: Humans tainted with greed. I have descended here to govern your desires. Do you not covet this land? Do you not covet these resources?

Everything you desire is here, so if you want to take it all, come here. When the time limit ends, standing on the pentagrams that have formed all around various regions will summon me.

I, the Demon King of Greed, Beelzebub, will be waiting for you here.

The Demon King of Greed, Beelzebub, has descended upon Earth.

***

Due to this unprecedented situation, not just Korea but the entire world was paying attention.

Normally, the country where the gate is formed deals with it voluntarily. Asking for help is their choice,

But this time, ‘inverted pentagrams’ have formed all over the world, so naturally, a worldwide strategy was taking place.

[Even China’s 31st-ranked world hunter Ryu Chun-ji, and America’s Capricorn Eden, part of the Zodiac 12, have shown interest in participating!]

The Zodiac 12 are an honor given to the world hunters ranked 1 to 12, and they all possess tremendous power.

Ranking is different from grades and is given by the ‘International Hunter Organization’, ranking is given only to S-rank hunters active for over a year.

This Eden guy is ranked 11th,

I used the invitation to meet with Irina. The location was the same forest as before.

Irina gently approached and greeted me.

“Good to see you again, Mr. Seo-jun.”

“Yes.”

I nodded and immediately got to the point.

“So, what is this black window? There was something like this during the time of the Demon King of Lust as well. I even tried to enter using [Demon Arts], but something was blocking it.”

“Ah, that’s what we call a ‘restriction’.”

“A restriction?”

At my question, Irina nodded.

“To cross between different realms, this ‘restriction’ is needed. Just like you need a ‘Worldview Causality’ to summon the demons of Solomon.”

“Explain in detail.”

“First, when the gate collapse rate reaches 100%, the monsters can cross over to this side, right?”

“True.”

“That’s a kind of restriction. You can connect worlds through a ‘valid time’, a kind of toll, should I say?”

Now I get it.

“Right, that’s how it is.”

We can go through the Gates as we please, but why can’t the monsters come through until the Gate collapses?

“However, in the case of the Seven Deadly Sins, their existence is quite special, so the ‘restriction’ also works in a special way. The concept of ‘effective time’ remains the same, though.”

“I see…”

I continued to resolve my curiosities.

“Let me ask again. What exactly is this ‘Oracle’ that the Cult of Great Sin talks about?”

“Ah, ‘Oracle’ is similar to the quests I give you.”

“Quests?”

“Yes. The difference between us and them is that they don’t receive quests directly from the ‘Will of Adoniya’ but rather from the Seven Deadly Sins they follow.”

While I was contemplating, Irina added,

“Um, for example, instead of the landlord called ‘The Will of Adoniya’ making a direct contract with the tenant known as the Cult of Great Sin, they go through the intermediary of the Seven Deadly Sins.”

…Suddenly, it seems like a very realistic explanation.

Anyway, I understood well.

“Ah, and be careful of the Cult of Great Sin. Even within the same Cult, there’s not just one leader. They are scattered across the country, so they’ll likely come to disturb you again.”

“So, you mean there’s more than one ‘Greed Bishop,’ but not necessarily one in every country?”

“You could say that, but there’s definitely more than one.”

So, it’s more like pastors rather than bishops.

Well, that won’t interfere with my plans. It’s just a bit annoying.

“I understand now. My curiosities are satisfied, so I’ll leave.”

However, Irina didn’t respond but stared intently at me.

“Why is that?”

“I may be mistaken, but you seem rather excited, Mr. Seo-Jun.”

…I tried to suppress it, but it seems she noticed.

Actually, I’ve been looking forward to the upcoming situation. Not for trivial reasons, like meeting a worthy opponent after a long time.

“I have to be.”

The reason for my heightened mood is simple.

“The land of gold has come to me on its own.”

After this battle, I’ll gain that ‘domain.’

That ‘floating island’ will become the ‘capital’ of the Twilight Magical Kingdom in the future.

“So don’t worry.”

After all, they’re not the ones invading here.

“They won’t even be able to set foot on this Earth.”

It’s me who will be invading them.

(To be continued in the next episode)