Side Story 1. The Story After

“Y-you son of a bitch….”

The man who cursed swallowed his tension and thrust his sword towards the unidentified creature.

Kkigik- Kkigigigigik?

A noise that assaulted the ears and a hideous appearance that made one feel sick just looking at it.

The monstrous creature before his eyes was a monster born from the remnants of the Underworld found across the Earth.

For B-rank Hunter Chris, it was an opponent he had to risk his life against, so Chris didn’t stop confronting the fiend, even though his legs were trembling.

“C-Chris-nim….”

“Don’t worry. If you hold on just a little longer, rescue will arrive.”

Chris gave a smile to the civilians trembling uncontrollably.

…Of course, it was a lie. The radio used to request rescue was already broken.

If he couldn’t kill that monster, everyone here would die.

Chris knew this, yet he lied to reassure the civilians.

Kkadeudeuk- Kkureureureureureuk!

“Kkeuut…!”

Kwaang-!

But the monster didn’t understand Chris’s white lie.

The monster had to eat the prey before its eyes and grow stronger.

That was the only kind of thinking a creature from the Underworld could do.

That’s why it charged towards its prey.

Chaeng-

Chris had a sense of responsibility unbefitting a B-rank Hunter, but he wasn’t strong enough to match it.

After a few exchanges with the monster, Chris’s sword shattered like glass.

“N-no way…!”

Kkadeudeudeudeuk-!

The monster didn’t miss that opening.

Before Chris could even draw his backup dagger, it bit into his neck.

Paaang-!

In that moment of absolute desperation.

A blue magic barrier sliced between Chris and the monster.

“I-I’m alive…?”

Chris’s eyes widened as he looked at the barrier surrounding him.

He had never felt that magic was beautiful before, but the barrier before him now was truly artistic.

“Judging by your clothes, you seem to be from the Iris Guild’s Korean branch… Why didn’t you request help?”

“I’m sorry. The equipment broke…. M-M- Master Mage Lee Hoyeon…!”

Chris turned his head towards the rescuer and his eyes widened.

Mage Lee Hoyeon.

The hero of humanity stood before him.

He glanced at Chris with a smirk, as if accustomed to the situation.

“Anyone would think you’d seen a monster. Hmm? Ah, I remember now that I see your face. I saw you at the Korean branch before. Chris, right?”

“H-huh. Thank. Thank you! That you remember the name of a nobody like me!”

“I have quite a good memory, you know.”

Lee Hoyeon casually walked past the man gazing at him with tearful eyes.

Then, he reached out towards the monster baring its fangs to bite the barrier.

“Spiral.”

Kkeu- Kkeudeudeudeuk-

Caught in the storm of magic, the monster turned to dust without even being able to put up a proper fight.

Lee Hoyeon dusted off his hands and tossed the radio from his pocket to Chris, who was sitting there blankly.

“Contact the Association with this. I’d love to escort you to safety, but I have to go somewhere else immediately. There are no monsters around, so you should be safe.”

“Th-thank you. Mage Lee Hoyeon-nim.”

“Don’t mention it. You were pretty cool too, Chris-ssi. You knew it was a tough fight, yet you tried to protect the civilians.”

“Ah, ahaha….”

“You seem to have talent with the sword, Chris-ssi. Keep up the good work.”

“…Thank you! Mage Lee Hoyeon-nim.”

After Lee Hoyeon left with a smile.

B-rank Hunter Chris felt something surge deep within his chest.

The praise from the strongest mage in humanity would become the strength he needed to live on.

[Recording]

“Wow… That was really cool.”

And on the smartwatch of a civilian standing behind Chris, a red light was on.

*

It’s been less than two months since the large-scale war against demons that occurred in Korea ended.

Humanity’s hero, Lee Hoyeon, was tirelessly running around dealing with the aftermath of the battles.

The divine power he obtained by defeating the god from another world was entirely used up to remain in this world, and the Earth, now more than half assimilated with the Underworld, still remained.

Cleaning up the mess was the responsibility of the remaining humans.

…If it were only that, it would be fine.

Lee Hoyeon actually found fighting easier.

Nothing was as bothersome as cleaning up the aftermath.

“Honey. Look at this. An article came out claiming it’s Mage Lee Hoyeon’s everyday life. It says it’s so touching how he didn’t ignore even a low-ranking hunter, looked at him once, and remembered his name?”

Approaching Lee Hoyeon, who was zoning out and resting in the living room, was a red-haired beauty.

It was Rebecca.

The internet article she showed contained a video of him smiling and giving words of encouragement to Chris.

Reading the comments praising Lee Hoyeon below, his face naturally flushed.

“…Why is there a video like this?”

“I guess one of the civilians you saved took it with their smartwatch.”

“Seriously, these people film this stuff even after being saved? Considering how dangerous the situation was.”

“It’s meant in a good way, so why are you like this, Honey? This kind of thing builds your image. Besides, you look even better on video than in photos.”

“Image. Yes, I know that….”

Forget image, I’m tired to death.

That was the emotion Lee Hoyeon felt.

The only reason he could zone out in the living room right now was because he had received a short vacation.

Since the dangerous places requiring Lee Hoyeon’s help had almost all been dealt with, it was now time for other hunters to step up.

“Oppa~. Are you sleeping at home today?”

“Yeah. Dahee. It feels like I haven’t seen you in a while. Oh my.”

Lee Hoyeon smiled as he looked at Nam Dahee clinging to him.

He heard she was preparing dinner with Nam Daeun, but seeing her here suggested the dinner preparations were finished.

“Dahee, don’t cling to Hoyeon so much.”

With a delicious aroma, Nam Daeun came out from the kitchen.

She took off her apron and carefully sat down next to Lee Hoyeon.

Lee Hoyeon looked at Nam Daeun familiarly and leaned his shoulder against hers.

“Daeun-ah. What’s for dinner today?”

“Today it’s chicken, which Liliana-ssi likes. Ah, speaking of which, I had something to tell you….”

“Something to tell me?”

“So you were all here.”

As he looked at Nam Daeun, who suddenly wore an awkward expression, one more person entered the living room.

It was Scarlet, a blonde beauty in a neat suit, who had just returned from work at the Iris Guild’s Korean branch.

“Scarlet-ssi. Welcome. Would you like a cup of tea?”

“I’ll just accept the thought. Daeun-yang. Since everyone’s gathered, I have something to say.”

“Everyone? Liliana’s in her room.”

“…It’s about that Liliana-nim.”

Liliana.

As soon as Lee Hoyeon heard the name, he guessed the topic Scarlet was about to bring up.

“Liliana-nim… has become too strange.”

“Ah, ahaha… Liliana’s just matured. She was too strange until now, wasn’t she?”

“Maybe Rebecca-ssi is right. Still, she doesn’t act strangely… Hmm. But still, a little….”

Lee Hoyeon nodded as he watched the three seriously discussing Liliana.

Recently, Liliana had become strange.

More accurately… it would be correct to say she had returned to normal.

‘Emergency emergency! Tonight’s dinner is a robot chicken half-and-half set!’

‘I ate a fruit called mango yesterday, it was really delicious! So I ordered 10 boxes via rocket delivery. Let’s share!’

‘Ah, but I got tired of eating two. You guys deal with the rest! Well then, bye!’

The Liliana who brought life to the house with her eccentric behavior every day was gone.

Now, in her place was…

‘Chicken? Chicken is good, but sometimes I want something else.’

‘Mang…o? No, I’m just going to rest in my room. Please don’t bother me.’

‘Broadcasting? …Why did I do such foolish things? I wonder myself.’

That’s right.

Recently, Liliana had truly matured.

And in just one day.

“I heard the sealed memories returned….”

“Still, it’s hard to accept, isn’t it?”

“Yeah….”

Nam Daeun nodded regretfully at Rebecca’s words.

It’s human nature to only feel the absence of something after it’s gone.

When watching Liliana’s eccentric behavior, it was absurd and funny, but now that it was gone, it felt incredibly disappointing.

Of course, that wasn’t the only problem.

“The only one who can handle this issue is you, Hoyeon-nim.”

“…Me?”

“Yes. No matter how much we tried, it didn’t work.”

“Uh… Do we really have to interfere with Liliana? I think she’ll naturally get used to it if we just leave her be.”

Lee Hoyeon, who hadn’t been home much recently, had also noticed Liliana’s change.

With the crazy succubus who used to scream every day now quiet, Lee Hoyeon found it awkward at first too.

But that was only for a day or two.

The changed Liliana had her own charm.

Besides, she sometimes showed her old self in bed, which made her even cuter.

“That’s probably because Hoyeon-nim hasn’t been home much. Hoyeon-nim doesn’t know the… awkwardness she has during daily life.”

“Awkwardness?”

“Yes. It’s an awkwardness that’s hard to put into words.”

“If she had changed completely, I wouldn’t have even mentioned it to Honey.”

“I also tried to adapt to Liliana-ssi… Ugh, it was too difficult. If it’s not Hoyeon, conversation won’t even get through.”

“…Really?”

Seeing all three of them react this way, it seemed Liliana definitely had a problem.

Thinking about it, it was true that he had barely come home for the past month.

He had so much work to do, and he also needed time to take care of the other heroines.

Koong- Koong-

Just then, the sound of someone descending from the second floor was heard.

Speak of the devil, Liliana came down.

“Sniff sniff. Hmm. What’s this smell?”

As soon as she came down, Liliana turned her head towards the kitchen and started sniffing, focusing all her attention on her nose.

Such behavior was very familiar to Lee Hoyeon.

She always acted like that when she smelled chicken, which she loved.

‘What’s this? It suddenly feels like I’m seeing the original Liliana.’

Detecting the smell of chicken, the corners of her mouth shot up to her ears.

A faint smile also appeared on Lee Hoyeon’s face. He could even predict what Liliana would say next.

‘Hehehe. She’ll probably say, ‘It’s chicken.”

Liliana chuckled ‘hehe’ then turned her head to look this way.

The moment she spotted them. Her eyes widened, and the corners of her mouth dropped as if by magic.

“Ugh… Cough. Chicken again today.”

“……?”

“Chicken, huh. Alright. Let’s all eat dinner.”

Chongchongchong.

Liliana left those words behind and went into the kitchen, while Lee Hoyeon stared blankly at her retreating figure.

‘What’s this? That awkward movement?’

He could now understand why the other heroines were complaining.

It felt like the old Liliana was peeking out and then retreating.

The word ‘awkward’ suited it best.

“Scarlet. What’s wrong with her?”

“That’s why we’re asking for your help, Hoyeon-nim. When we ask her, she just tilts her head as if asking what we’re talking about.”

“She certainly is acting strange.”

“Yes. Thanks to Liliana-nim, dinner time has become quite awkward.”

Only then did Lee Hoyeon grasp the seriousness of the situation and nod.

It would be fortunate if it were nothing serious… but to prepare for the worst, it seemed necessary to talk to her directly.

‘Perhaps she’s developed some psychological issues.’

After her memories were sealed, Liliana had lived as a shut-in for over 10 years.

Even after coming to Earth, she had lived recklessly for nearly a year, so the memories of Liliana Calliope, the terror of the Underworld, would feel alien to her.

Perhaps the confusion of memories created during that process might have caused this phenomenon.

If the Succubus Queen were here, they could at least talk to her, but she had disappeared somewhere as soon as the Demon King died.

Liliana’s problem was something Lee Hoyeon inevitably had to solve.

‘It’s been a while. I should have a heart-to-heart talk with Liliana.’

Having made up his mind, Lee Hoyeon got up from his seat.