Chapter 75 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon, You Were Handsome (2)
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Uncomfortable.
The Heavenly Demon's brow furrowed deeply.
His muscles had vanished, so neither the Mad Demon Blood Battle Clothes nor Our Clothes fit anymore.
Both were outfits representing the pinnacle of the world, but unfortunately, they lacked the function to drastically alter sizes.
[Heavenly Demon. How about wearing this outfit?]
Nameless pointed to the tracksuit set Jang Chaewon had bought him previously.
It was an outfit bought just considering his height, so it hadn't fit his massive frame at all.
But with all his muscles gone, it fit him perfectly now, like it was tailored to his body.
"No choice."
The Heavenly Demon, clad in the green tracksuit with white stripes, picked up the Lamas keys with a dissatisfied expression.
[Heavenly Demon. The Lamas vehicle's carburetor repair isn't finished yet.]
The Heavenly Demon's beloved steed, the Lamas made decades ago, had many parts that had reached the end of their lifespan. Parts were hard to find, making immediate repairs difficult.
"I'll take the subway."
Even his usually quiet commute had suddenly become inconvenient.
People always kept a wide berth around him on the subway, but today he had to board pressed tightly against throngs of strangers.
"Excuse me. Are you a model by any chance?"
"Excuse me. I'm from Dalim Planning's casting department."
As he walked through the Complex Interior, unknown people shoved business cards at him nonstop.
Some even clung persistently, forcing him to use lightness skill to escape.
But the inconveniences didn't end there.
"What? You're the Heavenly Demon?"
"What? You ate a mushroom and turned like that?"
"What? That's your real face???"
He thought Jang Chaewon would brush off the change in appearance indifferently. But her reaction completely missed his expectations.
She started hyper-aware of his altered looks, even displaying uncharacteristic behaviors.
"Heavenly Demon. You don't need to clean."
"No work today? Isn't it too nice a day for construction?"
"Want some tea? I mean, have tea while looking at the ledger."
Her laptop was open, but Jang Chaewon's gaze was fixed not on the screen, but on the Heavenly Demon in his tracksuit.
'Ah.'
The Heavenly Demon, long hair cascading down, tracksuit with pale stripes pulled up to his neck.
Sitting at the reception table reading a book, a halo shone behind him, as if tens of millions of flowers bloomed.
'Wow, insane...'
The transformed Heavenly Demon wasn't just handsome.
His usual stern, rigid expression now exuded a lonely, melancholic aura.
Moreover, his once ferociously red eyes now seemed somehow decadent and sorrowful.
'Sad, his eyes look so sad today.'
Of course, broadcast media featured countless stunningly handsome men.
But none possessed the Heavenly Demon's lonely, dreamlike allure like an otherworldly beauty.
"Hmm."
The Heavenly Demon noticed Jang Chaewon staring at him with heated gaze.
It was identical to the expression when he first saw Pure Abyss God.
Yes. Jang Chaewon was an incurable fangirl, a gold digger for looks.
"Fortune teller."
Feeling oddly irritated, the Heavenly Demon slammed his open book shut.
"Fortune teller."
"Yeah? What?"
"Stop staring. My face'll get pierced."
Even direct scolding didn't wipe the radiant smile from Jang Chaewon's lips.
"I see. Anything else uncomfortable? Want more books?"
"No. Get to work."
"Huh?"
Only then did Jang Chaewon realize the laptop wasn't even powered on, laughing awkwardly.
"Right, right. Gotta work, yeah, gotta work. Or no Heavenly Demon salary."
"..."
Time flowed on endlessly, until evening approached.
Ding-a-ling.
As the sun dipped low, the shop door opened with the bell.
An old man, covered head to toe in grass, staggered in. It was Kim Chanwon.
"Mr. Kim?"
"Manager Jang."
Kim Chanwon gave Jang Chaewon a weak smile and approached the Heavenly Demon.
"Mr. Cheon. Looks like that mushroom's nowhere to be found."
Kim Chanwon's eyes were hollow like a raccoon's.
He must have wandered the Clover Dungeon all night searching for the mushroom the Heavenly Demon mentioned.
"I looked to eat more too, but none."
The Heavenly Demon, eyes on his book, said nonchalantly.
"Well, something that could shatter my Diamond Physique... it wouldn't be common."
Only his Diamond Physique was broken; aside from it being an incredible delicacy, there were no addiction symptoms.
His internal energy levels were fine too, so the Heavenly Demon wasn't worried yet.
"Ahem."
Kim Chanwon stared blankly at the Heavenly Demon, who shone like a gem in a jewelry box, then cleared his throat.
"Hey, Mr. Cheon. Busy tonight?"
"Busy. Gotta read books I missed last night."
"So no issues then. Wanna grab drinks with me tonight?"
Ignoring the Heavenly Demon's reply, Kim Chanwon grinned broadly.
"Days like today call for a drink, y'know."
"Hmm. You're buying, Kim?"
"Yep. Of course."
Jang Chaewon, printing quotes on her laptop, jumped up.
"Then company dinner tonight? To celebrate the Heavenly Demon back to normal. Hehe."
"Not recovered. Diamond Physique destroyed."
-Kyuu!
At "company dinner," Sparrow shot from the inner room like lightning, wrapping around Jang Chaewon's neck.
-Kyuuu! (Can't miss dinner out, nyang.)
[If it's a group gathering like company dinner, I can't be left out.]
At Jang Chaewon's shout, Nameless rolled out from the storeroom.
[I, Nameless, will analyze restaurant databases and secure the best dinner spot.]
"No thanks. Least confident in your picks."
Nameless enlarged its eye sensors at Jang Chaewon's jab.
[What a hurtful thing to say. I only select spots verified by countless reviews from actual visitors...]
"That place."
As the shop grew rowdy, the Heavenly Demon, arms crossed, spoke flatly.
"I know a spot."
"Huh? Heavenly Demon, you know a bar?"
Jang Chaewon blinked, and the Heavenly Demon nodded again.
"Yes."
Old Soldier Pub.
A pub in an alley of a residential complex a bit outside downtown. Shabby exterior, but spacious inside with a good vibe.
A large bar counter in the center, surrounded by seven table seats.
"Wow, this place is great?"
Seated at a corner table, Jang Chaewon looked around in admiration.
"How'd you find it? Come here often?"
"Passed by after work once by chance."
The Heavenly Demon replied flatly, glancing at the elderly man at the bar counter, Jang Geum-seon.
Jang Geum-seon had treated the Heavenly Demon to free drinks and snacks on his first visit, asking him to return.
And the Heavenly Demon kept his promise.
"Welcome..."
Jang Geum-seon, wiping glasses at the bar, froze upon seeing the Heavenly Demon with loose hair.
In all his life, he'd never seen such an atmospherically handsome man.
"H-Hong. Customers."
A young woman in an apron emerged from the kitchen. Special Response Team leader and Old Soldier Pub's night kitchen manager, Cho Hong.
"Yeees."
Cho Hong, bringing the menu, flinched upon meeting the Heavenly Demon's eyes.
'What, a guy this handsome exists.'
Even teammate Yoo Eunho rivaled idols in looks, but lacked this suffocating aura.
"M-Menu here."
Usually brusque with customers, Cho Hong blushed and gently set down the menu.
Then she spotted Jang Chaewon across from the Heavenly Demon.
'Must be his girlfriend.'
Jeans and ponytail couldn't hide her refreshing, summery charm.
'Hm?'
Then Cho Hong noticed Kim Chanwon and Nameless beside her, and Sparrow coiled around Nameless's head.
'What is this combo.'
The gap-toothed old man was one thing, but that round nanobot? That tiny weasel?
"Any no-pets policy? It's super quiet and well-behaved..."
Jang Chaewon pointed at Sparrow on Nameless; dazed Cho Hong shook her head.
"No? Not at all."
"Oh, good."
Jang Chaewon beamed and peered at the menu.
"Then first, mixed skewers, fresh seafood soup one, seasonal seafood platter one, mixed pancakes one, raw beef one plate, seasonal fruit, Caesar salad, beef charcoal grill one please."
Some party? Cho Hong flustered but nodded.
"What drinks?"
The Heavenly Demon spoke flatly then.
"The Three Blessings Brew was excellent. Four of your largest glasses."
Three Blessings Brew was an off-menu special cocktail only Jang Geum-seon could make.
How does this handsome guy know Three Blessings Brew? When did he visit? Impossible to forget that face.
"Four glasses?"
Cho Hong stammered; Jang Chaewon stroked Sparrow's chin.
"Sparrow, you'll drink too, right?" -Kyuuu! (Why ask twice, nyang.)
The weasel's cry oddly sounded like a playful child's voice.
"Please wait a moment."
Dizzy, Cho Hong shuffled back to the kitchen creakily.
Three Blessings Brew never sold more than three glasses per person.
Expensive rare ingredients, but mainly because no human could handle three.
"Hong."
Jang Geum-seon, mixing Three Blessings Brew into beer mugs at the bar, smiled faintly.
"Tell them it's the last glasses. Ingredients ran out."
"Y-Yes?"
"And charge half price."
Jang Geum-seon whispered, wiping his nose.
"Truth is... short on ingredients, so diluted it thin."
"Yeees."
Cho Hong stared blankly at the Heavenly Demon's group with unfocused eyes.
Handsome guy: ten glasses. Pretty woman: six. Old man and white weasel: four each.
Meanwhile, the round nanobot chattered nonstop.
Chattering indistinguishably from humans, probably high-end language pack.
"Master."
"Yeah?"
"What even are they? Awakener-ish, faces seem familiar. Know Three Blessings Brew, so probably been here."
Jang Geum-seon gave a wry smile at Cho Hong's mutter.
"Don't know them?"
"Acquaintances?"
"Who knows."
Gazing at the blushing otherworldly beauty, the Heavenly Demon, Jang Geum-seon murmured low.
"Worth the service."
Buzzed from potent drinks despite dilution, the Heavenly Demon's group left Old Soldier Pub and taxied to round two.
Round two was naturally the Heavenly Demon's rooftop room—great vibe, no worries about noise.
Thanks to Jang Geum-seon's dilution, everyone including the Heavenly Demon was pleasantly tipsy with clear heads.
"Round two's gotta be charcoal grill!"
Kim Chanwon pulled out the rooftop drum can from last dinner and started grilling pork belly.
Jang Chaewon, on the platform, peeled fruit; Nameless and Sparrow chatted away, somehow understanding each other.
"Humans can't help it."
Recapping the day staring at the distant sky, the Heavenly Demon clicked his tongue softly.
Clearly the same person, yet yesterday and today felt slightly different.
Warm gazes from countless people, kind words, friendly looks.
"They see no essence, still obsessed with shells."
The rooftop fell silent like doused in cold water at the Heavenly Demon's mutter.
Especially Jang Chaewon, stunned by his looks.
And Kim Chanwon, envious of them, flinched like stabbed in the chest.
[Heavenly Demon.]
Nameless noticed his complex mood first.
[From modern humans' emotional and philosophical view, appearance is part of human essence.]
"Nonsense. Human shells are innate."
[Far from it. Modern medicine allows plastic surgery anytime, and diet, exercise, beauty improve looks too.]
The Heavenly Demon chuckled.
"No need to dress up humans like that. I meant their hearts."
"Hey, Heavenly Demon. You're really twisted."
Jang Chaewon, listening beside, shook her head.
"Admiring beauty is human nature. Between filthy bug and fragrant flower, humans pick flower naturally."
"I know."
"Know what? People avoided your ugly mug before, now they're nice today, so you're bitter. Deny it."
"Not at all."
The Heavenly Demon's reply sounded stark and lonely.
After silence, Jang Chaewon whispered.
"Heavenly Demon. I know you're emotionally dry and cynical. But open your heart a bit. Accept it."
"Accept what."
"That you're human too, who can laugh and cry with emotions."
Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon felt inexplicable rage.
The Heavenly Demon who transcended physical limits in Demon Vault, achieving martial arts' new pinnacle.
He'd never once considered himself human.
But Jang Chaewon, Nameless, Kim Chanwon treated him as just human.
"I am but Heavenly Demon."
Jang Chaewon's large eyes narrowed at his cynical reply.
"Not human? Can't feel emotions?"
"Heaven forbid. I've felt all human emotions and transcended them."
Then Nameless struck a blind spot.
[Then, Heavenly Demon, have you married?]
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