TPDGR 33🔐

Chapter 33 …

The middle-aged woman returned to the villagers with a complicated expression and let out a deep sigh.

“Ugh… the Demon Lord really has such a deep heart.”

“What did you say?”

“Ah, nothing! She said that since she’s fine herself, we should feed the children first…”

“What? Oh my, thank you so much…”

Not only the middle-aged women, but also the men, the orcs, Griffith, and Joanna all looked at me with touched expressions.

It wasn’t exactly a selfless gesture on my part, but, well…

I ignored their expectant gazes and opened my mouth wide.

Just as I was about to shove in the golden-brown roasted mushroom—

Ding!

[‘Public Sentiment’ increased by 5.]

Wow, public sentiment is now 15!

“Guh…”

I hastily took a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped my mouth. Blood had unexpectedly welled up and stained my lips.

Wait, the system has no manners?

What if I started coughing up blood while eating? That would ruin my appetite.

“Why are you like that, Demon Lord?”

“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”

I turned my back to the villagers and discreetly wiped my mouth.

By now, I was quite used to situations like this.

“Didn’t an A-rank Stealth Hunter come back in a complete mess while I was gone? What happened?”

A giggling voice cut through the quiet, dim conference room. Dohwa looked up at the man approaching.

A strange, unique aura that ordinary people couldn’t sense radiated from him.

Dohwa knew that it was a ‘killing intent.’

Those who have killed a lot of people naturally emit an eerie murderous aura.

His official name was AJ.

A mixed-blood, heir to a prominent conglomerate, who had even awakened as an S-rank Hunter. He strolled confidently into the conference room.

The heavens were indeed unfair. They gave someone who already had everything the power of awakening too.

Even before awakening, rumors of him using his power to torment the weak and make them kneel had circulated—Dohwa was not unaware of this.

Despite being a despicable person in many ways, Dohwa kept a blank expression.

‘Anyway, he’s someone the Association President personally chose.’

The room they were in was a special conference room reserved for S-rank or higher Hunters.

Dohwa watched AJ swagger and sit down casually. Unlike the two people facing each other across the long table, the Association President sat by the window with his back turned.

AJ immediately addressed the President.

“I hear that Han Hyunjin has a dungeon hidden like a honey pot, even involving the government. I heard there are humans living in there? That’s a pretty unusual dungeon, isn’t it?”

An A-rank Hunter, Serim, had reported the same.

Children lived in the Demon Lord Dungeon, and there was a small village for a few residents.

There had long been hypotheses about another dimension existing beyond Earth, with intelligent beings in human form—that is, another human world—but this was the first direct confirmation.

AJ chuckled, resting his head in his hand.

“Ah, what a trivial life. Not even cockroaches, and they’re grateful just to be spared, even if they serve monsters…”

He thought he could easily gauge the humans parasitizing the dungeon.

He believed such cockroaches should be burned entirely to maintain cleanliness.

“Just let me go there, President. I’ll burn the entire place down, including the Demon Lord Mogaji! I’ll even watch that bastard Han Hyunjin scream. How about it?”

“Huh.”

The Association President chuckled from within the concealed sofa.

AJ grinned even wider at the response.

Dohwa alternated her gaze between them, doubtful.

“Then, AJ will go to that dungeon?”

“President, that’s…”

As Dohwa tried to intervene, Bang! AJ slammed the table.

“Fine!”

He flashed a combative smile at Dohwa.

“I’ll clean up that place completely and prove I’m the most capable Hunter here.”

“…”

“Not all S-ranks are the same. Han Hyunjin’s no different.”

Born naturally privileged, AJ could not stand anyone above him—even other S-rank Hunters in the Association.

“I didn’t like people worshipping heroes and all that nonsense anyway. Who do they think they are? I’ll take this chance to show who’s superior.”

AJ, who thought goodwill was merely a facade, found Han Hyunjin laughably trivial.

AJ, born with everything, and Han Hyunjin, ready to give up everything—polar opposites.

Yet Han Hyunjin’s noble, high-handed attitude always irritated AJ.

Ignoring Dohwa’s scowl, AJ laughed and left the conference room.

Silence fell over the room. Dohwa spoke cautiously.

“…Are you sure, President? AJ is skilled, but he’s cruel and lacks subtlety. And then there’s the Demon Lord in that dungeon, which is rather concerning.”

It was strange enough that humans lived in the dungeon, but the boss seemed to tolerate it.

Moreover, he had used a hot-air balloon to warn the Association not to interfere…

‘As if he knew exactly what our Association was.’

What kind of opponent is this Demon Lord?

Even a boss monster…

“Watching how this plays out could be interesting.”

“Do you mean… you think AJ will fail?”

“Not necessarily. AJ is one of our Association’s top Hunters.”

Yet there was a hint of hope in his voice that AJ might fail.

Dohwa sensed the hidden amusement but could say nothing.

She stared at the spinning single-seat sofa with a puzzled expression.

The Association President hummed cheerfully.

Today, my staple diet was poisonous mushrooms.

Breakfast: poisonous mushrooms. Lunch: poisonous mushrooms. Dinner: poisonous mushrooms. Even snacks: poisonous mushrooms.

No matter how good kimchi is, imagine eating it three meals a day. How sickening would that be?

Ah, maybe a Korean who eats kimchi fried rice with kimchi on top would be fine…

But if kimchi were the main dish with no white rice, it would obviously be miserable.

That’s exactly how I felt.

Miserable, and annoyed.

But I had to endure a little longer.

‘This is a journey to cultivate the aura befitting a GREAT DEMON LORD…’

I chewed on the dried poisonous mushrooms like jerky and stepped out of the castle for a walk.

Though it was just a field near the gate…

‘Is Han Hyunjin coming?’

I kept a watchful eye on the gate, curious when he might arrive.

I was trying to be nice to get him to submit to me, but somehow progress seemed slow.

I was prepared to use seduction and flirting to make him kneel—but perhaps because he’s a male lead in a story, the barrier was high. Maybe he’d even learned restraint, the stubborn thing.

He might be proud of his looks and temper, so earning his submission would probably take time.

I wore my usual mask, chewed on the mushrooms anxiously, and kept an eye on the gauge.

“Number 1, Number 2.”

“Ah, Demon Lord.”

Today, Numbers 1 and 2 were patrolling around the gate while Number 3 and Griffith were off. Approaching the closer Number 2, he put down his club and saluted.

“You’ve been working hard. Patrolling since morning?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Of the three orcs, Number 2 was the only male, and he moved briskly, soldier-like.

It’s true that competent workers are more appealing.

I patted Number 2 on the shoulder.

“Why such strict guarding when I’m here? Take it easy.”

“No, how could I in front of the Demon Lord…”

Well, that was the proper response for a soldier before their lord.

Yet despite the hardships in the orc dungeon, the three orcs didn’t complain about the shift work.

In fact, they were still amazed at being fed despite doing such “small” tasks.

‘The orc chief is a rotten one, thinking about it.’

One day I’ll make them pay…