episode_0032

To conclude, Enin was the best Chinese chef.

He brought a huge wok and, swinging it with one arm, made various meat dishes.

They used a lot of the ingredients they had saved to cook everything from sweet and sour pork to teppanyaki dishes similar to dakgalbi. As it is a place with an abundance of meat, they say they tried every possible dish using meat.

‘Anyway, your arm strength is really no joke.’

It feels amazing to see a huge wok in the kitchen dancing without stopping on top of the magic pot.

Usually, simple repairs to equipment are done by hitting it on an anvil behind the building alone, and it seems that the power of swinging a hammer is put to use in a place like this.

‘He’s short and his arms are thin, so it’s hard to understand where he’s coming from.’

“Now! Eat it all!”

Soon, the food was spread out on the multi-person table and we started eating. Everyone was satisfied and quickly got drunk as they ate and drank the dishes as snacks.

“Hehe…Hehehehehehehe!”

“Why is he laughing like that?”

“It’s like a gremlin. Um… ugh!”

“…”

Thanks to this, the rosacea was revealed quickly.

Peria started making strange laughing noises that said Enin was like a gremlin, and Enin started hiccuping for some reason.

Soon Peria uttered her last words and collapsed on the table, shot down by alcohol.

“Ah. This one went.”

thud-

It was a loud sound that made me worry that my forehead would be swollen the next morning.

“You said you liked drinking, but you passed out quickly.”

“Mmm. Then I will move it. I have some work to do… Hi! Joe!”

“Here, drink a glass of water before you go up. If it’s early in the morning, you may feel sick.”

“Thank you. Oh, and washing dishes… Hi! Um…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll organize the rest.”

“Yes. Then… hold on!”

Enin drank the water the teacher gave him and stumbled up, carrying Peria, who had collapsed and hiccuped. He says he needs to get some sleep because he has a regular meeting early in the morning.

I saw it last time, but Enin got drunk quickly with a few bottles of beer and liquor, so I don’t think he’s that strong of a drinker.

‘The rest is up to me and Master.’

“Would you like to drink more?”

“Then-. It’s my first time drinking alcohol, so I think I’ll enjoy it some more. I have a feeling that a free day like this won’t come again for a while.”

“Maybe so. Now, take it.”

“Thank you.”

After that, we continued to drink, and soon I was confessing various things to Master about whether I had developed a drug that I didn’t know about.

“Yes. Only now have you suddenly developed an aversion to killing demons?”

“Yes. It’s just that these days, I suddenly feel like it’s not nutritious.”

I drink the remaining three bottles of alcohol as if I’m going to finish them together with my teacher, and confess my concerns.

“I guess it’s because I feel more relaxed.”

“Is that so?”

Maybe so.

In the past, the people in front of me were trying to kill me and the people behind me were trying to kill me, so I couldn’t think deeply and killed my opponents, but these days, I feel more relaxed because other races that have difficulty fighting due to mental illness don’t fight.

“Then, I would like to ask a teacher who is in the same situation. Should demons be considered humans?”

“Are you trying to discuss murder?”

“I thought the things I killed so far were monsters.”

Monsters that just imitate human speech.

There are people who just speak the same language, but there are people who cut off human flesh and eat it, and there are people everywhere who capture us and use us like lab rats or make us slaves.

Since I only experienced combat and not dialogue, I thought they were all the same.

When the people here treat other races, they treat completely different races as something that must be killed at all costs, so I, who fell among them, blended in with them and never thought that such thinking was wrong.

The teacher spits out a short history that he heard from a wizard somewhere.

“If we look at history, it is said that the origins of the demons are humans and that humans, who are the ancestors of the demons, accepted the blood of demons for over 500 years.”

“That’s right.”

“But our cute student would not have spoken out to discuss such a conceptual mind. As expected-”

Master had already figured out why I spoke up.

“It must be because of Astesia.”

“… Right.”

Master tips his glass and drinks the remaining liquor.

The glass was empty so I filled it.

“With what mindset are you fighting? Except for the fact that I was pushed away by someone.”

“Attitude?”

“Yes. Since we are mentally ill, we are probably out of touch with things like fame, money, and such. At least, I treat my enemies thinking that this is also a type of training I was doing in my previous life. What were you thinking?”

“I…”

When it comes to mindset, it might be a bit similar to Enin.

“My first thought was that I didn’t want to die because it hurt, and at some point, I started to notice living people because of my fight.”

It’s calmed down now, but back then it was really serious.

When we opened our eyes, received weapons from the resuscitation center, and ran toward the wall, people were looking at us and praying.

[Please save us. Please save us from this hell.]

[Please destroy all the monsters outside.]

[I was coming in from the south gate and was separated from the child. Please bring the child if you see it.]

‘That’s terrible.’

It was disgusting at first.

Even though those people didn’t know how we were brought into this world, at least from my perspective, they were killing someone who was living a normal life and asking me to save them.

But the human mind moves easily.

Massive monsters that attacked us while shedding tears, made by dissecting humans from a recaptured castle and putting them back together.

When you surrounded a castle with no food and dealt with crazy people who boiled and ate people in front of you, it was decided whose side you would take.

At least I thought that what they had was not a human heart.

still

That was just the next best thing.

I was never driven by a sense of justice. I just killed things that didn’t look like the humans I knew because I didn’t like them.

“The enemies I’ve encountered so far have been nothing but disgusting. The demons were the only ones who felt that way.”

I took a sip of my drink.

Master fills the empty cup.

“Then what did Astesia think?”

“It didn’t look like the demons I knew. At least he seemed more human than me. To save everyone, that sounds ridiculously great. Still, if the officer who was being mean to me is in danger, I just close my eyes and skip it. I’m not good enough to save those guys.”

Even if I didn’t stab myself, there were many times when I didn’t care whether I died or not.

Puhahahahaha-

The teacher, who was splitting the cold meat in half with a fork, heard me and just laughed.

What was so funny that he couldn’t stop laughing.

‘Master, is it really possible that smiling is a drinking habit?’

Master laughed for a while and then calmed his shoulders.

“Phew, sigh, mi, I’m sorry. I thought it was just me. I’ve sent a few men like that who kept targeting my body and making suggestions, but I was secretly nervous about when they might get caught. I didn’t know you were doing the same.”

‘Ah, Master, you’ve done it a lot too.’

Since Master is so good-looking, there must have been some people who wanted to make him his adjutant. I didn’t know because we didn’t talk about it until now.

“Anyway, let’s go back… Okay. Astesia’s altruism to save both humans and demons by sacrificing herself can be felt by Irim as being more human-like than anyone else we have seen so far.”

“…right.”

I also got bored, so I cut the snacks into bite-sized pieces.

“Then why don’t you try to put that kind of altruism into practice, knowing that it is more human-like?”

“If you live like that, you will become very tired. And I know that although that ideal image may ultimately be good to see, it doesn’t suit my personality to put it into practice. Above all, why do I lose money when I have nothing to gain?”

I am not a saint.

Only after taking care of my share, can I see others.

The moment you try to chop the cut snack with a fork –

“Eight.”

“Oh.”

Master’s fork comes and takes the meat I cut.

‘You cut up your own, but you’re eating mine.’

Muttering-

“Um, yeah. It’s like that.”

Although he complained for a moment, seeing how he enjoyed eating the meat, I don’t think it would matter if it was taken away.

After passing the meat, the teacher sticks his fork into the remaining meat and says:

“All life survives because of selfishness. It’s instinct. On the other hand, Astesia’s concern for others may be due to the fact that she grew up in a monastery. Gentlemen with a strong sense of justice are not common.”

A thought I can only do because I am a demon who grew up in a monastery.

‘Peria, who grew up in the Demon Territory, doesn’t really think like that. ‘Can’t we see it as the same case?’

I take another sip of my drink, pondering the saying that the environment makes the person.

“Fuhu, then should I live like that too?”

“No, there is no need to live like those frustrating people. You just have to follow your heart. However, make a choice based on your own beliefs, not based on instinctive selfishness.”

Master puts down his glass, straightens his body and looks at me.

Even after drinking so much, Master’s eyes are looking at my pupils without wavering.

“If you are the type of person who cannot stand seeing someone about to die and Astesia feels like a person only now, you can save her. Regardless of things like justice.”

“That succubus decided to kill herself?”

“If it’s the way you think, that doesn’t matter. Just do the same thing you did now. All you have to do is kill those that do not like you and those that want to kill people, and save those that you want to save. So, save Astesia, whom you judged to be human. Even if she wants it or not.”

“Do you mean not to break your faith?”

“To put it briefly, that’s what it means. And that’s it. Did Astesia’s answer seem like something she really came up with? To me, it only looks like someone who knew her personality forced her.”

“Are you saying that you were pushed by the created environment?”

“At least I think that’s the case.”

Master opens a bottle of red liquor.

“It doesn’t matter whether she is a demon or not. There are also demons who kill and eat people, and there may also be demons who are demons but try to save people. Even if it is a demon, if it feels like a human, it is a human. If a human feels like a monster, you can call it a monster and cut it down. All you have to do is seek something that has a human heart. They’re demons, so don’t worry about humans. Don’t leave your decision to someone else’s standards, but let your sword decide.”

Red liquor flows into my glass.

At the same time, I felt something filling my confused mind.

Master puts a stopper there.

“Still, if you’re worried about cutting down people or saving monsters-

tell me I will always be by your side and at least help others.”

A troubled disciple. The teacher’s decision before me.

Master declared that he would support me.

Talking about your concerns means that you actually have a predetermined answer, but you wish there was someone to push you forward.

And Master pushed my back.

For me, who always thought about things alone, the words that he would always watch from behind and carry the burden for me made a big impact.

“… Thank you.”

A sincere statement about my teacher.

Although it was simple, I felt so bad that I couldn’t give a better response.

It’s been a while since I’ve worried this much about something, but now that it’s all sorted out, I feel relieved.

“Oh, my.”

Clink-

Reflecting on the teacher’s words, he tries to put the cap on the empty bottle, but loses it and drops it.

“You must be drunk.”

“Oh no way. I just felt dizzy for a moment.”

It looks like two bottles, so I don’t know where to put the cap.

‘If I throw it in the middle, will it stick?’

I tried throwing the bottle cap, but it flew away and became two.

That wasn’t all. Everything in front of me began to multiply into two. It seems like I’ve finally developed some kind of superpower.

“Master. I think I may have become stronger starting today. Everything is starting to multiply into two.”

“… It must be a shame because this ability will disappear tomorrow. It’s true that I’m drunk, so let’s end it now. I’ll organize the rest. I’m full, so please eat the remaining piece of meat and clean it up.”

Master puts the remaining meat on his fork and brings it to my mouth. The moment you try to say it’s okay, meat comes into your mouth.

“uh, town.”

“It’s a return for the meat from earlier.”

‘I can’t help it. ‘You have to chew it.’

“You eat well. Yes, you have to eat to gain strength.”

After eating all the meat that Master gave me, I go into the kitchen, drink a glass of water, come out, and go upstairs.

Squeak-

“Oh no, this won’t work here.”

I staggered up the stairs, opened the door to the room Ennin had told me about, and hurried out.

Enin told me to sleep on the floor if it was okay, but when I opened the door, I saw a huge disaster.

All of Peria’s clothes had been removed and thrown on the bed, and Enin was lying next to her, half-undressed and asleep.

“… I may have misread it.”

I thought about opening it one more time, but I thought it would be a disaster if I broke it, so I calmly opened the room in front and went in.

‘I’m sorry Master, but since you said you’ll be sleeping in Ennin’s room, I’m sure you’ll sort it out yourself.’

There may have been other female officers, but it is said that they packed up their bags and left. I thought there would be a lot of empty rooms, so I opened it to find one and it turned out to be right.

Unlike Enin’s room, which is decorated with cute girlish decorations, it is a bleak room with nothing in it.

‘It’s an empty room, right?’

The blanket must have been left unmade, so I just lie down on the bed, take off my jacket, and cover myself with the blanket.

‘Did I wash my blanket less?’

I don’t know if it was because it was a female officer’s quarters, but even though everyone had left and the innkeeper had probably washed the blankets, I could still smell a bit of a scent.

I fell asleep while listening to the scent of the blanket and the sound of cleaning up on the first floor.