How Could This Happen...!

At that moment, Park Yeon recalled a conversation he had with Priest Vorpian.

- Priest, I have a question.

- What is it?

- What if an evil god like the ancient god Deikraus appears in this world again and corrupts people?

- Haha. Do not worry. Deikraus was annihilated, and his powers were permanently sealed by the gods.

The priest was unrivaled in his knowledge of mythology and ancient gods.

There was no way such a priest could be wrong.

In the end, there was only one conclusion.

'...Did the Demon King break the seal?'

There was no other explanation.

Because...

"I wonder if it suits your taste."

"Oh! This is amazing! How am I able to take on a human form...?"

"It was my mistake. I should have used this method sooner."

"Not at all!"

That damn orc was admiring himself in the mirror.

He no longer had the grotesque appearance of an orc.

Though still massive, he now had the form of a human.

And this was undeniable proof that the Demon King had revived Polymorph, the spell that the ancient celestial gods had sealed away.

Park Yeon bit his lip and sank into deep thought.

He was a hero.

Though now reduced to washing dishes, he had once slain an evil dragon and had bravely attempted to defeat the Demon King.

That made his dilemma even greater.

'...If the Demon King abuses Polymorph like Deikraus did, disaster will follow.'

This was true whether it was on the continent or Earth.

And if the Demon King truly committed such evil deeds...

'...I will have to stop him at all costs.'

"At all costs" meant that a battle to the death with the Demon King was now a possibility.

Thinking about such a duel, Park Yeon suddenly felt a mix of gloom and sorrow.

He didn’t know why.

'Can I really kill the Demon King...?'

If past events were anything to go by, the answer was no.

He had always lost to the Demon King, and the Demon King had always let him go as if it were a mere nuisance.

But if the opportunity arose... If a chance came to stab a dagger into the Demon King's heart while he slept, could he take it?

The past Park Yeon would have confidently answered his own question.

Of course!

But now, he hesitated.

"Park Yeon, what's wrong?"

Seo-jun, noticing Park Yeon's hardened expression, asked.

The moment he had been dreading had arrived.

With a tense face, Park Yeon opened his mouth.

"This magic... what is it?"

"The spell I cast on Karanto?"

"Yeah."

Park Yeon clenched his fist tightly.

What if the words Polymorph came from the Demon King's lips?

What would he do then?

Just as his mind was about to be consumed by countless worries...

"It's an illusion-type spell."

"Huh?"

"I said, it's an illusion-type spell."

"Not Polymorph?"

"Polymorph? What's that?"

At the unexpected answer, Park Yeon felt relief.

Again, he didn't know why.

And for some reason, with a slightly flustered expression, he replied,

"Ah, never mind! But how does it work?"

"It's simple. I merge my demonic energy with Karanto’s, then cast the polymorph effect on top of that."

"Then to others' eyes...?"

"Karanto’s true form remains hidden. But there is a condition."

"A condition?"

"Karanto, come here."

"Yes, My Lord!"

Karanto approached Seo-jun.

Seo-jun scooped up a bucket of water and poured it over Karanto.

Then...

Sssssshhh!

As if a raging fire had been doused, gray smoke rose, and Karanto's original orc form was revealed.

"Water is the weakness."

"That's right. So, Karanto, be careful with water. Small amounts won't matter, but if your body is exposed to more than a liter, the spell will be dispelled."

"Understood! I will be cautious!"

"Alright, let's head back to the shop. Since we're already out, we might as well grab a meal before we go."

"Yes, sir!"

Watching Seo-jun lead the way and Karanto lumbering behind, Park Yeon unknowingly smiled.

Then, realizing he was smiling, he quickly composed himself.

'The Demon King and some orc, of all things!'

Karanto had discovered another taste of Valhalla.

A dish called curry.

"Ahhh...!"

Though it was an illusion-type spell, he now had the form of a human.

Was that why?

His appetite seemed sharper, and he could savor flavors more distinctly.

Especially the subtle fragrance of spices tickling his nose—it was great not having to flare his nostrils to take it in.

Crunch!

More than the curry itself, there was another dish called kimchi that was incredibly delicious.

Orcs were omnivorous.

They ate insects, bugs, meat, and fruit.

But they rarely ate vegetables. They could if necessary, but they wouldn’t seek them out.

Karanto was no exception.

Yet, this kimchi was different.

'How can something be both sweet and spicy?!'

It paired perfectly with the curry.

Hot, steaming rice, generously mixed with curry, scooped up with a spoon. Place a piece of kimchi on top and take a bite—it felt like he had stepped into Valhalla itself.

Seo-jun was smirking as he watched Karanto indulge in his meal, but suddenly, his expression hardened, and he spoke urgently.

"Karanto."

"Yes, My Lord!"

"From now on, your name is Park Doo-shik. Park Doo-shik."

"Huh? What do you mean... My Lord, as you know, my name is Karanto."

"When you're pretending to be human, you're not Karanto. You're Park Doo-shik."

"Pretending... to be human?"

Karanto tilted his head in confusion, but he soon understood.

The shop door had opened, and Yeon-jun had walked in.

'That must be My Lord’s younger brother...!'

First of all, they looked very much alike.

On top of that, the aura they exuded was somehow similar. And the child next to them…

Was cute.

“A guest?”

Yeon-jun glared at Karanto… no, Park Doo-shik, and asked. Seo-jun, in turn, glanced toward the bathroom and responded.

“No.”

“Then? Someone you know?”

“Ah… Well, he says his name is Park Doo-shik, and he’s Park Yeon’s cousin.”

“Park Yeon’s cousin? I didn’t know he had one.”

“Yeah. Apparently, he just moved up from the countryside.”

Nodding, Yeon-jun stepped toward Jun-sik.

“Hello.”

“Huh? Ah! Yes! Greetings! I am a servant of the Demon Go—”

Seo-jun hastily sent him a mental message.

“—I mean, I am Park Yeon’s cousin, Park Doo-shik.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Yeon-jun.”

“Please feel free to speak casually with me.”

“Ah, alright. I will. But… your way of speaking is just like Park Yeon’s.”

“Please do not compare me to Park Yeon. I find it displeasing.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean it in a bad way. It’s just that your speech sounds like something straight out of a historical drama. Since you’re cousins, I thought you’d know, but Park Yeon uses ‘hao-che’ speech.”

Seo-jun interjected.

“He’s preparing for a play.”

“A play?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s impressive dedication. So, he speaks in historical drama style to stay immersed in his role?”

“That’s what he says. You and Seo-woo haven’t eaten yet, right? Eat first.”

“Ah, okay. Doo-shik, it was nice meeting you. Let’s see each other often.”

“It has been an honor to meet you!”

Once Yeon-jun went to change his clothes, Seo-jun let out a sigh of relief.

But there was still another obstacle left.

“Is he really Park Yeon’s cousin?”

It was Seo-woo.

Seo-woo was clutching the robot toy that Seo-jun had gifted him before, squinting suspiciously.

Glancing at Seo-jun, Karanto nodded hesitantly with a flustered expression.

“Of course.”

“Then why are you speaking so formally to me?”

“That is… because I am preparing for a play.”

“A play? What’s a play?”

“A play is… um, well… a play is…”

There was no way Karanto would know.

The Demon Realm had no such thing as plays, and ever since arriving on Earth, he had been trapped within a barrier. There was no way he could know.

Seo-jun explained.

“It’s when actors perform on stage according to a written script.”

“Wow! Then is Uncle Doo-shik an actor?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow, wow, wow! Uncle! Uncle! Then do you know Bomi Noona?”

“Bomi… Noona?”

“Yes! The one from Ppoppo-Ppoppo!”

“I do not know of this Bomi Noona.”

Seo-woo pouted, looking dejected. Seo-jun ruffled his hair.

“Uncle Doo-shik isn’t a famous actor, so he wouldn’t know Bomi Noona.”

“Oh, is that how it is?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright then! From now on, I’ll call you Uncle!”

“Ah, I understand.”

Seo-woo ran off, still holding his robot toy.

But the obstacle wasn’t over yet. There was still…

Woof woof!

Orcs and Hellhounds were natural enemies.

Like cats and dogs.

Like cows and chickens.

Recognizing Doo-shik as an orc on instinct, Yeoksam started barking wildly at him.

Just as Doo-shik was about to be overwhelmed, Yeoksam’s natural predator appeared.

“Yeoksam! Let’s play hide-and-seek for the first time in a while! You’re ‘it’! Count to ten and hide! No, find me!”

Woof?

“Hide!”

Woof woof woof! Woof woof!

Looks like we’ll have to meet next time…

Once even Yeoksam disappeared, Doo-shik let out a sigh of relief.

Watching him, Seo-jun chuckled and sent Doo-shik back to the chicken farm.

“If you ever feel bored or hungry, come visit again.”

“Understood! Thank you, Demon God!”

“I keep telling you, be careful near the water.”

“Yes!”

After seeing Doo-shik off, Seo-jun headed toward the kitchen.

That is, if no one had blocked his way.

“…Demon King.”

It was Park Yeon, radiating an ominous aura.

It wasn’t just an illusion—there was truly a black mist rising from his body.

Seo-jun was so taken aback that he almost threw a punch.

“Who… did you say… was my cousin?”

“Ah… about that, I had no choice.”

“No choice?! You had plenty of other excuses! Like saying he was someone you met through a channel, or that you used to know each other!”

“That’s true. But it was so sudden that the words just slipped out.”

“What kind of Demon King are you?!”

“Before being a Demon King, I’m also human. I get flustered too.”

“You should have sensed Yeon-jun coming with your ki perception! Then you wouldn’t have been caught off guard, and an orc wouldn’t have ended up being my cousin!”

“I’ve gotten too used to Yeon-jun’s energy, so I overlooked it.”

Shaking his head.

“I don’t understand how you were ever called the Demon God.”

“If you knew why, you wouldn’t be able to eat at the same table as me anymore.”

Flinch.

“Ahem. I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Why Park Doo-shik?”

“Park Doo-shik? What about it?”

“Why is that orc named Park Doo-shik?”

“Hmm. It was just a spur-of-the-moment decision, but I felt like ‘Doo-shik’ suited Karanto. It sounds dependable, doesn’t it?”

“Then what about me?”

“You?”

“Yeah. Why am I Park Yeon? The name Park Yeon doesn’t give off any heroic vibes.”

“Because you’re Veltebray.”

“Velte…bray? What does my real name have to do with Park Yeon?”

Seo-jun pulled out his phone. He opened the search engine and typed in ‘Veltebray.’

- A Dutchman who naturalized in Joseon. His Korean name was Park Yeon. In 1627 (the 5th year of King Injo’s reign), his ship was wrecked by a storm while sailing to Japan. Along with two other crewmates…