Thump.
"…Excuse me?"
Richmond flinched.
He had been momentarily relieved when he heard he wouldn't be killed. He had glimpsed hope. But something felt off. That hope he thought he'd seen—there wasn't even a hint of it on Kim Jangcheol's cold expression.
Then came the verdict.
"From now on, you'll live with us. As a member of the Abandoned Land. In this barren land. You'll eat the little crops we manage to grow with gratitude. And be thankful again for not being eaten by another demon."
"W-what…?"
"You don't understand? Living day by day in the Abandoned Land. That's the punishment I'm giving you."
"That's…"
"Too cruel, you think? Do you really think that?"
"Please, that's, please…"
Richmond's pale lips trembled.
Overwhelming confusion, despair.
It felt like his vision was going dark.
No, like he was falling into an abyss.
But there was not even a trace of mercy in Kim Jangcheol's voice.
"You, you treated the gratitude and value of survival like it was worthless. Worse, you used other people's desperation as a weapon. Whether people suffered or not, whether they were crushed or not, as long as it wasn't your problem, you didn't care."
"…"
"So now, you're going to feel it for yourself. What it means to struggle just to survive. To live day by day in this desolate world with no one to lean on. How f***ed up, terrifying, important, and desperate that is—you're going to learn it firsthand."
"I-I was wrong…"
"Wrong?"
"..."
"Why are you apologizing to me?"
"That's…"
"You're way too late. And you've come to the wrong person. You should've apologized to the people who suffered because of you. Back then."
"..."
"It's strange, really. People like you, you always do this. You never apologize to the people you actually hurt. You only ever apologize to the one punishing you."
"Uh, that, that's…"
"That's not an apology. It's just a ploy, trying to lighten your punishment."
"…"
"So don't even think about funny ideas. Or go ahead—try running away to the human world if you can."
"..."
Richmond glanced sideways with trembling eyes. In the distance, around 500 meters away, though it felt more like 500 kilometers to him at that moment… was the Magrat Gate.
'I…'
Could he pass through there?
No.
Absolutely not.
That, at least, he could be certain of.
So bitterly, so grimly—because he knew the workings of this world far better than most.
"..."
That gate could only be crossed by those banished from the kingdom. Or a select few who carried the king's direct command.
Other than that?
Impossible.
Especially from this side, the Abandoned Land, trying to cross into the human world—absolutely impossible.
…Thud.
Richmond, realizing his fate had been sealed, dropped to his knees. No—his legs had simply given out.
Then came Kim Jangcheol's welcome.
"In any case, as the Demon King of the Abandoned Land, I welcome you. low-ranking, and newly appointed human demon, Richmond."
"Ah…"
"From now on, you'll starve with us. Kukuku…"
"..."
Kim Jangcheol smiled in satisfaction.
Richmond felt as if all the blood in his body had gone cold. A despair so crushing he couldn't move an inch. But even sitting down wasn't something he was allowed to do in peace.
Tap, tap.
Right after Kim Jangcheol turned away,
someone nudged him from behind.
Startled, he turned around.
It was the most cold-eyed man of the group—the demon race member called Zephyros.
With eyes colder than ice.
No, it wasn't just him.
"..."
Baal, Sirgi, and even Asurat in pelican form. The icy stares of the Four Heavenly Kings pierced through Richmond, now reduced to a low-ranking demon.
So cold.
So murderous.
Those who had survived their entire lives enduring hunger in the Abandoned Land, now looked upon the one who mocked the world with food, with the quietest, yet most cutting hostility.
"…Hic."
Richmond, wetting himself without realizing it, scrambled to his feet. He staggered forward, following Kim Jangcheol.
'I…'
It's really over.
The weight of despair truly sank in, and his shoulders slumped.
But Kim Jangcheol paid it no mind.
The group's journey continued.
They didn't fly this time.
Instead, they walked for about thirty minutes. Until they reached a teleportation well located in the outermost edge of the Abandoned Land—closest to the human world.
"…But wouldn't it have been easier to just fly here?"
Zephyros asked, frowning under the merciless, laser-like sunlight of the wasteland.
Kim Jangcheol chuckled and shrugged.
"Well, our landing gear removed her disguise, after all."
"Ah."
Zephyros glanced at Sirgi as if he understood. Their eyes met.
"If you're about to suggest that I just transform into that fluffy alpaca disguise and should serve as a launch pad for that brainless Asurat again, then I swear I'll slice you into thirty pieces right here and now."
"…I'm sorry."
Zephyros quickly apologized.
And then he remembered—
Once the disguise from the Elixir of Transformation is undone, you can't disguise again for another 24 hours.
"Well, anyway, now that we're at the well, they should be here soon. Tsk."
Kim Jangcheol shaded his eyes with his hand.
He carefully scanned the surroundings.
Zephyros asked,
"You mean the 3rd Star Master and Lord Tbong?"
"Yeah. They should be waiting for us near this well. Ah, there they are."
Had he spotted something?
A smile crept across Kim Jangcheol's face.
Everyone's eyes followed his finger pointing in the distance. And there they saw them—two silhouettes kicking up dust as they ran toward them.
Thudududududu…!
"Tbong!"
The baby dragon, Tbong, was thrilled.
And of course he was.
Dad was back from his trip.
He had gone to sell potatoes.
Back then, it had been very sad.
I wanted to be with Dad longer.
I wanted to play with Dad more.
But Dad was always busy.
Can't Tbong come with you too?
He asked, but was told it was too dangerous. That in the human world, there were lots of scary people who'd scream, "You wretch!" the moment they saw him.
Then when will you come back?
He asked again, and was told, "Soon."
So he saw Dad off on his business trip. So that Dad wouldn't struggle. He activated the well and carried him all the way here. He even waved his hand when Dad walked away.
And then he waited.
Just like Dad told him to, being perfectly well-behaved. Just like Dad told him, not causing trouble for the 3rd Star Master.
And then, Dad really came back!
"...Aaargh, that bratty dragon, seriously!"
The Demon King's 3rd Star Master, Raster, was about to explode.
And it was understandable.
The Demon King had said he was heading to the human world.
To sell potatoes and buy some seeds or something.
Then he'd entrusted him with a mission.
To take care of the baby dragon at the well.
It had been absurd.
He was a Star Master, for crying out loud.
And he was supposed to be a babysitter for a baby dragon?
It was beyond ridiculous.
But he had no choice.
If you don't like it, should I keep you as a lightning rod? Want to stay hanging next to the field trail while everyone else works? And when I get back, want me to give you a 10+10 Lightning Combo Pass as a souvenir?
He crumbled at that question.
No—he surrendered.
So he had looked after the baby dragon. At this well, in the corner of the wasteland. Sometimes playing together, sometimes making sure he didn't cause trouble.
And now was no different.
"Aaaargh! Let's gooo! Together!"
Thump-thump-thump-thump!
Raster, wearing a full body shell of crustacean armor, waddled down the sand dune, cursing his heavy body.
Meanwhile, Tbong had already leapt into Kim Jangcheol's arms.
"Tbong!"
"Oof!"
"Tbobong! Tbong!"
"Haha, yeah, good to see you. Have you been well?"
"Ppobong! Tbong!"
"You missed me, huh?"
"Tbong!"
"You want an allowance to celebrate my return?"
"Tbong!"
"Oh, but I don't have any cash on me…"
"Ssibong!"
"..."
Can this child really grow up right?
Is his upbringing… maybe not the best?
Honestly, I'm a bit worried.
Kim Jangcheol enjoyed the reunion with Tbong while hiding his minor(?) concerns behind a fond smile. He then praised the 3rd Star Master who came running behind, for his short-term childcare—or rather, short-term dragon care—efforts.
"Hmm, by the way, my Demon King, is that by any chance… a human?"
The 3rd Star Master looked intrigued as he saw Richmond, who was oddly mixed into the group.
"Is he a pet, or maybe portable food…?"
Churrrp!
As soon as he saw a human with soft, tender meat for the first time in a while, the 3rd Star Master smacked his lips! Under his predator's gaze, Richmond's face turned to ash.
Kim Jangcheol quickly added an explanation.
"He's neither a pet nor a lunchbox. He's a new, low-ranking demon."
"A new… low-ranking demon, you say? A human?"
"Yeah. Long story short, he's being punished. You can't kill him. I'm going to make sure he lives as long as possible in the Abandoned Land."
"…Hmm? If that's the case, then that's quite the stinging punishment, as you say."
"That's right."
Meanwhile, Tbong, wagging his little butt, approached the well. Then, turning back to the group, he declared proudly,
"Tbobong? Tbong?"
"Yeah. That's right, Tbong. Go ahead and activate the well now."
"Tbobooong?"
"Oh, right. Everyone, give a round of applause for Tbong!"
"…Kwak!"
Clap clap clap clap clap!
Kim Jangcheol, the Four Heavenly Kings, the 3rd Star Master, and Zephyros gave Tbong a slightly awkward yet enthusiastic round of applause. Thanks to that, Tbong, standing on his two feet with fists on his hips, puffed out his chubby little belly with pride.
With his praise bar fully charged, Tbong smacked the edge of the well with his mini mochi-like palm.
...Fwaaaaah!
Light began to radiate from the well.
At that moment, Kim Jangcheol gently grabbed Tbong's tiny tail. The others reached out and touched Kim Jangcheol's body. The light pouring out of the well passed through Tbong and Kim Jangcheol, then spread to the entire group.
And then—teleportation.
Fwoosh!
A feeling of weightlessness.
A single leap toward the well at the cliff closest to the destroyed Demon King's Castle—toward the well still intact.
Or rather, a journey.
At that moment, Kim Jangcheol closed his eyes.
And thought to himself.
'...'
Back when he played the game, he used to ride this well to go kill everyone. But now, it felt different. It felt strange, but… not bad.
So now,
'Is this place… the Abandoned Land, my home?'
It seemed that way. Somehow, without realizing it, he had come to think of it like that. And at some point, this place had become comfortable.
Maybe even more than Korea, where he had lived his entire life.
"...…"
Do I even want to go back?
He wasn't sure.
No.
Probably not.
When he first arrived here, everything had been terrifying and uncertain. He had desperately wanted to escape.
But now, things have changed.
He had changed.
Everyone here has changed.
Their appearances. Their hearts. The futures they now imagined.
Then while I was gone, how did everyone live?
How much had they changed?
How much had they grown?
With hope in his heart, Kim Jangcheol arrived at the well on the cliff.
Together with everyone, he walked up the path within the cliff.
Heading to the Demon King's Castle—that place which had now become home. When he finally arrived, he slowly took in the sight surrounding the castle.
And thanks to that, he had no choice but to mutter in a voice void of all sense.
"…What the hell is this mess?"
[T/L: I am not getting any support from webnovel platform, so please support me and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]