Oh My, It's Spicy, So Spicy (2)
Unbelievable.
To savor and enjoy spiciness—that is the mark of a civilized being. It's proof of a race that has received a high level of education and built a superior culture.
Which is why the primitive demon race of the Abandoned Land should not be able to enjoy spicy food at all. They should react like a dog, pig, or monkey accidentally biting into a chili—flailing and throwing a fit.
That would be more fitting.
"......."
The Combat Engineering Corps Commander felt overwhelmed as he looked at Kim Jangcheol. No, it was more like the humiliation of gazing at a transcendent wall.
Yes.
An insurmountable wall.
Even if he died and came back, even if he was reborn dozens of times, it felt like a wall he could never surpass.
And why wouldn't it?
"That kind of insanely spicy chili... he's dipping it in chili sauce and chewing it raw?"
If someone had said that to him before, he would've scoffed.
Told them not to talk nonsense.
Asked what kind of lunatic would do such a thing.
He'd have dismissed it as an absurd joke.
But now?
It wasn't.
"There really is someone like that..."
Right in front of his eyes!
That surreal sight made real—bam!
"Uh… are you alright?"
He couldn't help but ask Kim Jangcheol. It was only natural. The chili he was currently chewing raw—Mekisosan Chili—was known as the spiciest food, the spiciest substance in the world.
Its spiciness was often likened to deadly poison.
Under no circumstances was it something meant to be eaten raw.
It had to be cooked safely.
Just enough to hint at its flavor.
And eaten only in tiny amounts.
That was the proper way.
Of course, not everyone followed that.
Some people, driven by bravado, foolishly challenged themselves to eat it raw—despite the danger.
But most of the time, the results were not good.
There were even people who died from extreme pain while chewing it raw—every year, without fail.
In some regions, it was even illegal to eat Mekisosan chili raw.
So naturally—
Racial superiority or not.
Prejudices about the demon race from the Abandoned Land or not—
At this moment, Engineer Commander Forkray was entirely swept up in genuine worry and concern for Kim Jangcheol.
"Are you really okay? Sir?"
"Nom nom… Yep?"
"You're not seeing double because your tongue's gone numb, or seeing everything red, or feeling a sudden bout of dizziness… anything like that?"
"Oh, I am starting to sweat a little."
"Sweat?"
"Yes. It's just… it's been so long since I had proper spiciness."
Kim Jangcheol spoke frankly.
Since hiding away in this world, this was the first time he'd tasted something like this. Back in the Abandoned Land, he had to eat nothing but potatoes.
And the food he occasionally encountered in the human world?
For a Korean like him, it all tasted bland and flavorless.
"So this is kind of nice. It's like eating a 'Djinda Donkatsu' again after a long time."
"'Djinda… Donkatsu'?"
"Yeah. You haven't heard of it, right?"
"........"
No. He hadn't. Not of a deadly-sounding dish like that.
The engineer commander barely held his mental state together, practically ascending like a Seven-Star Eel doing a victory dance, and asked,
"You're… not a demon of the Abandoned Land?"
"Huh? I am."
"Then how…?"
"You want to ask how I can enjoy spicy food like this?"
"...That's right."
By now, he was really curious.
Was this guy some rare mutation?
Or maybe he had a body that couldn't feel pain?
The engineer commander nodded with honest curiosity.
Kim Jangcheol took a crisp bite out of the Mekisosan chili and said,
"I've always been like this. I've loved spicy food since I was a kid."
"Since… you were a kid?"
"Yep."
"You're saying… the Abandoned Land had spicy food?"
"Well, I've always had a thing for red-colored food since I was little."
"....."
Kim Jangcheol wasn't lying.
The engineer commander was thrown into confusion.
From that day forward—
Throughout the group's journey toward the Abandoned Land, Engineer Commander Forkray kept a close eye on Kim Jangcheol. Especially during mealtime, his eyes grew sharp whenever he watched the man.
"I still can't believe it."
Was this guy pulling a demon-like trick?
Maybe he was secretly using magic to numb his nerves?
That had to be it.
Demons were primitive and cunning. Otherwise, how would they survive in the wastelands of the Abandoned Land?
Every meal, he stared at Kim Jangcheol.
And every time, Kim Jangcheol lavishly used the Corps' supply of chili powder, hot peppers, and chili sauce.
"...…"
"Could it be real?"
No. No way.
It couldn't be.
He didn't want to admit it.
"Yeah, that guy must just have a weird constitution. Just because one guy eats spicy food like some twisted gourmet freak doesn't mean the whole Abandoned Land suddenly becomes civilized."
Every time Forkray felt awed by Kim Jangcheol, he was thrown into confusion again. He'd shake his head, trying to deny what his eyes had seen.
Meanwhile, their journey continued.
They crossed mountains and rivers.
Passed through cities.
Traversed canyons.
Left plains behind and sped across the wasteland.
And on the 20th day after departing the capital, they finally arrived at the Magrat Gate Fortress, the northwestern border of the kingdom.
"Pass!"
After confirming the royal decree through the Combat Engineering Corps Commander, the gate commander opened the fortress gates.
The whole group passed proudly through the gate.
Though there was one exception.
Thud! Boom! Boom! Thud!
The massive statue of an Archangel carrying a giant yoke carefully stepped over the gates and walls. Then, with a single divine super-jump, it soared over the sea cliff between the first and second gates.
The gate soldiers' pupils quivered at the sight.
And at the sight of Kim Jangcheol's group passing through the gate, the gate commander's sense of crisis began flashing like a siren.
"No way… those guys…?"
The gate commander recognized Kim Jangcheol's group.
No doubt about it.
They were the same demon group that had previously smashed through the gates and invaded the kingdom.
But the commander couldn't show it.
Because he'd kept that previous breach a secret to avoid punishment or demotion—he never reported it to his superiors.
"......"
If he brought it up now, the Engineer Commander would find out, and a report would go straight to His Majesty.
Then it'd be game over for him.
Keep your mouth shut.
Wave and smile.
"That's the best course of action!"
A desperate display of corruption for the sake of job security!
Thanks to that, Kim Jangcheol's party passed through the gate without any trouble.
And just beyond the gate, the 3rd Star Master Raster welcomed them with open arms.
"Ahhhh! Lord Credos! What is going on here?"
Boom boom bang clang!
Seeing a massive force pass through the gates—
And even the enormous 60-meter statue of a Archangel stepping into the Abandoned Land—
Raster felt an overwhelming sense of crisis.
At first, he thought it was an invasion by the human kingdom.
That those human bastards had lost it and brought a strategic weapon into the Abandoned Land.
At first, he hid himself.
And observed the engineer corps.
Then Kim Jangcheol spotted the familiar faces of Asurat, Baal, and Sirgi.
'Ah, so the Demon King must have captured those humans and that big… uh… whatever it is! That giant, pale strategic weapon thing, too?'
That's what he thought.
So he rushed over immediately.
"Ohh, Raster? Been well?"
"No! What on earth is going on here?"
"Oh, let me introduce you—this is Colonel Forkray. He's the commander of the kingdom's expeditionary engineer corps that will help us develop the Abandoned Land together."
"…Excuse me?"
"And this here is the Archangel's… well, Whitey. It is my disciple."
"…Excuuuse me?"
"Anyway, yeah, that's how it is."
"...…."
He had no idea what "that's how it is" was supposed to mean. No, more than that, what on earth could have happened in the human realm that someone comes back with a royal-backed military unit and a disciple that massive?
He truly couldn't understand.
Still, the atmosphere didn't seem bad.
It seemed fine…
"…Actually… something terrible has happened, Lord Credos."
"What?"
Raster, the 3rd Star Master, still wore a grave expression. In a solemn, lowered voice, he said:
"…It's Tbong… Tbong has gone missing..."
"WHAT?!"
"I don't know exactly when it happened either. My guess is it was right after you, Lord Credos, crossed over to the human realm with your group… but anyway, he hasn't been seen anywhere. Up until now, I…"
"You haven't found him?"
"That's right…"
Raster hung his head low.
His heart was heavy with grief.
His dear, precious Tbong.
Sure, he was a little annoying sometimes, but still, such a sweet kid.
And now he is gone.
Disappeared while his guardian had his back turned!
"......."
A wave of guilt and responsibility crashed over him.
That's why—
Ever since realizing Tbong was gone, Raster had combed the area, day after day, without rest.
All to find Tbong.
There wasn't a single place he didn't check.
He even tried to investigate the Magrat Gate, but was driven back by fierce resistance from the gate city.
Still, he had failed.
Tbong was nowhere to be found, and the mounting despair grew heavier by the day.
So when he finally stood before the returning Demon King, grief swelled within him uncontrollably.
"It's my fault. I was careless. He's still just a child. Just a baby who knows nothing of the world. I thought caring for him was a hassle, and this is the result…"
His voice trembled with self-blame.
"And it's also a betrayal of the trust Lord Credos placed in me when you left Tbong in my care. I will accept any punishment you deem fit…"
"Tbong?"
"Yes, that's right. Sometimes I still hear his voice, echoing in my ears. Of course, every time that happens, I feel even more responsible."
"Tbobong? Tbong?"
"Hah… the hallucinations are particularly vivid today. That must mean I'm…"
"Tbong! Tbobong!"
"…Huh?"
"Tbong!"
"...…."
The joyful voice echoed again and again.
Raster's eyes darted down in confusion.
And there he saw it.
Tbong—looking up at him!
"…Huh? Huhhhh?"
Was he hallucinating?
No, it was too vivid to be an illusion.
"Oh. To translate—Tbong says he's sorry."
"…Excuse me?"
"He wanted to say goodbye properly before leaving, but he thought you'd never let him go if he did, so he just went for it."
"…Excuse me?!"
"He says from now on, if he runs away, he'll make sure to talk about it first."
"...…"
Raster stared blankly at Tbong.
Tbong looked up at him, sheepishly smiling in embarrassment.
"T, Tbooong, Tbong."
"...…"
"Tbongbong, Tibooong."
"...…"
"He says you can spank him if you want. He'll even give you his favorite rock. Also… what else did you say, Tbong?"
"Tbongbong, Tbooong, bong."
"Oh, and you see Whitey over there? Apparently, Tbong's secretly been planning to get him. He's been waiting for Whitey to let his guard down so he can freeze one of his toes and take a big chomp. And he says he'll give you a bite too."
[ …..! ]
The statue Whitey, crouched nearby and listening to the conversation, twitched.
Raster twitched, too.
"…."
Ah, this little brat.
If he could, he'd give him a solid whack.
He wanted to deliver a heartfelt butt smack with his mighty claws, full of emotion.
But he couldn't.
Because if he did, Tbong would sulk.
And if he sulked, he wouldn't cuddle with him for a while.
And he really didn't want that.
"…I'm fine."
Raster gave a small smile.
If he was being honest, his overwhelming emotion at that moment was simply joy that Tbong was back, safe and sound.
"So let's set Tbong aside for now. I have something else to report."
"Report?"
"Yes, Lord Credos. While I was searching the area for Tbong, I discovered something. Hmm… it's not far. Please, follow me."
He didn't know how to explain it.
So Raster took the lead.
Kim Jangcheol and the rest followed behind.
After about thirty minutes of walking—
"There it is."
At the edge of the wasteland,
Raster pointed to a secluded corner.
Of course, for Kim Jangcheol, who had scoured this game thoroughly through 19 playthroughs, the location was extremely familiar.
It was—
"The sealed ruin where Lady Artanis was imprisoned."
But there was something different from the game.
Around the broken sealed ruin, dozens of skeletal corpses were scattered.
"What the…?"
He stepped closer.
Took a careful look.
And at that moment—
Standing beside him, Engineer Commander Forkray, muttered:
"This is… the uniform of the 9th investigation team that departed from the capital…"
The moment he heard that muttering,
Kim Jangcheol remembered the desperate plea he'd received from a woman and a child during the marching ceremony in the capital—and Artanis's shoulders trembled faintly, without a sound.
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