‘They say even in a tiger’s den, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.’
Choi Hyun-seok’s eyes shone brightly.
‘I will survive.’
On the way to the Demon King’s Army 3rd Corps Headquarters.
Over the past few days, Choi Hyun-seok desperately composed himself.
‘I succeeded in gaining Reidrun’s favor. Why can’t I do the sa with other Demon Army mbers? Whether it’s the Corps Commander or the Demon King, I’ll win them all over.’
It’s fine even if it looks servile.
He can grovel until his hands beco feet.
He just needs to survive sohow.
Then soday, an opportunity will co.
‘Hehe… I won’t give up…!’
His head was filled with thoughts of having a sweet romance with a blonde beauty, having lots of rabbit-like children, and spending his later years watching grandchildren play in a magnificent mansion!
Just as Choi Hyun-seok’s eyes were gleaming with strange madness.
“Hero. Get a grip. Defeating the Demon King cos first!”
Rachel, sitting on Choi Hyun-seok’s shoulder, whispered.
Choi Hyun-seok turned to look at Rachel with a serious expression.
“Am I not allowed to live happily?”
“What…?”
“Am I not allowed to be happy?”
“…”
“I could live happily too, right? This damn cursed world! Why does it have to be just !?”
“H-Hero… The Demon Army will hear. Your voice…”
“Yeah, is that sooo!?”
Choi Hyun-seok shouted frantically, foaming at the mouth.
‘He’s completely lost it…’
There was no getting through to him.
It felt like watching a deranged demon.
Rachel nodded with a forced smile.
“Sure… Haha…! Sure…”
Suddenly, Rachel disappeared.
At the sa ti, a head popped into the carriage.
“Choi Hyun-seok. What’s going on?”
It was the bull-head Reidrun.
Choi Hyun-seok showed a bright smile as if he had never been serious.
“I’m just so happy about eting the Corps Commander that I can’t contain myself. Haha! Sorry if I was noisy.”
“Indeed, having an audience with the Corps Commander is an honor.”
“It certainly is!”
“The Corps Headquarters isn’t far now. You’ll be able to et the Commander soon, so don’t be too anxious.”
“Yes! Understood!”
“Then get so rest.”
Having finished his business, Reidrun returned to the front of the carriage.
Choi Hyun-seok let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew… I almost ended this life as a bachelor too.”
Choi Hyun-seok shook his head.
Wasting two lives without even dating once.
It’s horrifying just to imagine.
“Hero. Look over there!”
Rachel, who had reappeared, pointed sowhere.
“What is it?”
Choi Hyun-seok looked where her tiny finger was pointing.
“Is that a castle…?”
How long had it been there?
A massive black castle stood there.
‘It looks ten tis bigger than Fort Hemorn…’
Maybe even more than that.
It was so large that it distorted one’s sense of distance.
Even as Choi Hyun-seok stared absentmindedly, the huge black castle kept growing larger.
As they got closer to the castle, finally soone shouted loudly.
“We’re approaching the 3rd Corps Headquarters!”
They had arrived at the Demon King’s Army 3rd Corps Headquarters.
***
This other world was more enormous in scale than expected.
The 3rd Corps Headquarters looked like a city surrounded by massive walls.
An imposing castle towering in the center.
Entering inside, Choi Hyun-seok stood before a large door made of antique black wood.
“Choi Hyun-seok. The Corps Commander is inside.”
“Yes.”
“Be careful not to show any disrespect. Unless your life isn’t precious to you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Show disrespect?
That would never happen.
Choi Hyun-seok was prepared to lick the Commander’s toes if that’s what they wanted.
Though it’s questionable whether a Demon Army Corps Commander would want that.
Knock knock.
Reidrun knocked on the door.
“Co in.”
The voice from inside was surprisingly beautiful.
To use an old-fashioned comparison, it was truly like sweet jade beads rolling.
Creak…
The antique black door opened.
Finally, the owner of the voice appeared.
Thump…!
Choi Hyun-seok felt his heart beating violently.
‘Beautiful…’
The woman before him stood with her back turned.
Though it was just her back view, her beauty couldn’t be hidden.
Flowing black hair reaching down to her waist.
Below that, a curvaceous and sensual figure moved as if seducing him.
‘Maybe it doesn’t have to be a blonde beauty after all…
Normally, this would’ve been the mont for Rachel’s retort of ‘What nonsense is that!?’ – but it was quiet. She seed to be holding back in front of the Corps Commander.
“Corps Commander Hemis.”
Reidrun called out to the Corps Commander.
A beautiful woman turned around.
‘Stay calm. No matter how beautiful she is, she’s still a Demon Army Corps Commander. I need to be ready to flatter her at any mont…’
As Choi Hyun-seok was thinking this, his eyes widened in shock.
Corps Commander Hemis had turned around, and her entire face was covered by an enormous mouth.
“…”
A huge mouth split vertically.
Inside, sharp teeth were writhing.
“Reidrun. You ca?”
The beautiful… No, the large-lipped monster spoke.
“It’s an honor to see you, Corps Commander.”
Reidrun bowed respectfully.
“Oh my! Why so formal between us? Hohoho.”
The lip monster covered her mouth while laughing.
Though she barely covered half of the massive lips.
“Reidrun. Your muscles have beco even more magnificent since I last saw you?”
“You’ve beco even more beautiful, Corps Commander.”
Reidrun spoke in an uncharacteristically greasy voice.
‘Bullshit…’
Choi Hyun-seok watched the situation while holding back his nausea.
“I heard Hemorn Fortress fell?”
“I apologize. I am ashad.”
“No, no. How is that your fault? It was that stupid 8th Division Commander’s mistake.”
Suddenly, a fierce aura erupted from Hemis the lip monster.
An enormous magical power, like a massive tidal wave, constricted their entire bodies.
‘I… I can’t breathe…’
Choi Hyun-seok barely maintained consciousness while gasping roughly for air.
“The 8th Division Commander. That crocodile head had the nerve to return alive?”
“…”
“So I’m thinking of making him into a bag. Crocodile head bags are in fashion these days. Hoho.”
Hemis laughed while making what could have been either a joke or a serious statent.
At the sa ti, the suffocating pressure disappeared.
Choi Hyun-seok was dripping with cold sweat.
‘One finger movent and I’m dead.’
Even Reidrun was an unapproachable monster, but this Corps Commander nad Hemis felt like an alien existing in a completely different dinsion.
‘Though visually, she’d make even aliens faint.’
But the truly shocking part was yet to co.
“Reidrun. Have you heard the news?”
“Which news are you referring to…?”
“The Demon King’s pet dog just had puppies.”
“Yes, I heard rumors. It’s cause for celebration.”
“So there was a small dispute among the Corps Commanders about who would get one of the puppies…”
At that mont, Hemis’s huge lips split into what seed to be a smile.
“I won! You don’t know how cute it is. Want to see?”
Reidrun nodded.
0What followed was beyond imagination.
SHRRRRRIP-!
The lips on Hemis’s head expanded to about 2 ters, and from inside, a black dog as large as a tiger jumped out.
“Look! Isn’t it super cute?”
“Indeed, it’s worthy of being the Demon King’s pet. Even as a puppy, it has dignity.”
“I nad it ‘Bobo’!”
“Bobo… A na that suggests strong power.”
“Right? I knew you’d understand, Reidrun!”
Listening to their conversation, Choi Hyun-seok felt like he was going crazy.
‘That’s not the important part here!’
How could they be so casual about this?
‘A tiger-sized puppy just jumped out of soone’s mouth! Well, not a person’s mouth but… Anyway, the lips just stretched and… No! More importantly, how did sothing that massive fit inside such a small body!? And they’re calling that a puppy? Even a baby elephant would be smaller than that!’
There were too many things to point out, he didn’t know where to start.
‘Sigh, I give up…’
In the end, Choi Hyun-seok decided to remain quiet.
That’s when Hemis’s attention turned to Choi Hyun-seok.
Or rather, should we say her lips turned toward him, since eyes weren’t visible?
“By the way, Reidrun. Who’s this human?”
“This is Choi Hyun-seok, the human I reported about before.”
“Ah, the clever one?”
The show-off Reidrun had already finished bragging about Choi Hyun-seok to the Corps Commander.
“Yes. I brought him to formally recruit him into the Demon King’s Army.”
“Oho… Talent chosen by Reidrun? This is exciting.”
Hemis approached Choi Hyun-seok.
“Such a cute face, and such delicate muscles. I like it.”
Cute face.
Delicate muscles.
All words completely foreign to Choi Hyun-seok’ description.
“C-Corps Commander, your lips are truly beautiful.”
“Oh my!? Really?”
Hemis thrust her face forward.
Choi Hyun-seok forced a smile while dripping with cold sweat.
‘S-save …’
The massive lips looked ready to swallow him whole at any mont.
“Thank you for the complint, even if it’s just flattery!”
Fortunately, Hemis backed away, and Choi Hyun-seok let out a sigh of relief.
“But Reidrun. Even if I like this human, it might be a bit difficult?”
“Is it hard to accept him into the Demon King’s Army?”
“No, joining the Demon King’s Army isn’t difficult. It wouldn’t be the first ti.”
“Then…”
Reidrun stroked his chin as if he had an idea.
“Right. Even if we accept him into the Demon King’s Army, can this human actually survive?”
Hemis’s doubt was reasonable.
While the slave unit where Choi Hyun-seok originally belonged was part of the Demon King’s Army, it wasn’t a direct combat unit.
All slaves are the Demon King’s property.
“I’ll tear the mouth of anyone who dares to drool over the Demon King’s property.”
Thanks to Reidrun’s threat at the fortress, the Demon King’s Army didn’t lay hands on the slaves.
But where I’m heading next is different.
A real Demon King’s Army fighting humans.
Can Choi Hyun-seok survive in a group that eats humans as snacks when bored?
“I guarantee he won’t last a day, let alone a week.”
“True, but I believe in Choi Hyun-seok.”
“Oh really…?”
Hemis looked at Reidrun with surprised eyes.
To think that he, known as the Red Nightmare, would trust a human.
It was hard to accept such a sight.
“Choi Hyun-seok possesses excellent leadership abilities. Though his power is insignificant now, he will gain great strength soon.”
“Why do you think that?”
“I plan to teach him myself.”
Choi Hyun-seok was startled by Reidrun’s words.
‘The bull-head is going to teach himself!?’
Hemis was equally surprised.
To think that Reidrun, the Red Nightmare, would teach a human.
It made her doubt if this was the sa demon she knew.
“Reidrun. You’re stepping up personally. You must really like this human?”
“Though Choi Hyun-seok is human, I know he’s the most suited for the Demon King’s Army.”
“Is that so…”
At that mont, Hemis’s lips split into a wide grin.
“This is making a bit jealous?”
Choi Hyun-seok instinctively felt it.
Though he wasn’t sure exactly, he knew things were taking a bad turn.
“If Reidrun speaks so highly of him, I should accept him.”
“Thank you.”
“But direct teaching is not allowed.”
“Pardon?”
“Our Reidrun shouldn’t waste ti on a re human. I have other tasks for him too.”
“…”
Hemis approached Choi Hyun-seok.
She slowly caressed his chest.
“Instead, I’ll take special care of you.”
“…”
“Since Reidrun treasures you so much, I should pay extra! special attention.”
Every ti Hemis’s touch t his skin, it sent chills down his spine.
‘Don’t pay that kind of attention!’
He felt like blasting away both the bull-head Reidrun and the lip monster Hemis.
Ah, of course, that was just a feeling.
Choi Hyun-seok was a man who knew how to survive.
“It’s an honor to my family to receive such special attention from the Corps Commander! Haha!”
Choi Hyun-seok shouted as if he couldn’t contain his joy.
“Yes, yes. From now on, you’ll be assigned as my pet dog’s caretaker.”
“Pardon?”
Pet dog caretaker.
The pet dog clearly referred to Bobo, who was panting beside Hemis.
A massive dog(?) that looked like it could chew up even a decent-sized tiger.
‘They want to raise that?’
The only animals Choi Hyun-seok had ever raised were two pet hamsters he received as a gift in elentary school.
‘Feels more like I’ll be the snack rather than the caretaker…’
With Hemis, she’d probably just laugh it off even if he got eaten.
‘Oh my? How nice that our cutie has such a good appetite? Just like ! Ohoho!’ – she’d probably say sothing like that.
It was absolutely certain.
“Why that expression? Don’t you like it?”
At that mont, Hemis’s large lips twisted slightly.
Realizing his mistake, Choi Hyun-seok hurriedly smiled.
“How could that be! I was just worried if soone like deserves to care for such a dignified and magnificent Lord Bobo!”
“Oh my, you have such a way with words! Yes, our cutie is indeed dignified and magnificent.”
Hemis split her large lips into a satisfied grin.
“By the way, maybe because our Bobo is still growing, he has quite an appetite. So make sure not to run out of snacks.”
“I’ll keep that in mind!”
“You better. Otherwise, you might beco a snack yourself.”
“…”
“It’s quite a task to keep assigning new caretakers as he keeps eating them. I wonder who he takes after with such a big appetite? Ohoho!”
“Surely after the beautiful and excellent Corps Commander!”
“You think so? Ohohoh!”
“Of course! Hahaha!”
A tear rolled down Choi Hyun-seok’s eye as he laughed along with Hemis.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support or read advanced chapters, you can do so by unlocking chapters.
sko-fi/ippostranslations
Reviews
All reviews (0)