The Demon King's Castle is very large.
Even if you looked at it separately by dividing it into the outside and the inside, it is still ridiculously wide.
Would it be understandable if I said that the Demon King's Castle itself could be considered a city?
So, it meant that I couldn't help but get lost here. It's not because I'm stupid.
'Where am I?'
I'm sure it's an introvert.
I looked around, cursing my feet as I walked aimlessly.
An empty, vacant lot. A quiet but well-maintained dirt floor. Weapons lined up around.
'...'
Before I could think of what this meant, my body reacted first. I reflexively took a step back and swallowed dry saliva.
...Why did I feel cold sweat running down my back?
'I guess this is...'
"Demon Arut?"
Startle.
"What's going on here?"
"..."
I froze. At this moment, there was only one thought that came to mind.
Ah.. Jaykar.
I knew it was someone's training hall, but I never would have guessed that it was the 1st Corps commander's training hall. And among many Corps Commanders, he was the 1st Corps Commander.
I turned my neck to find the source of the voice.
Outside the training hall, I made eye contact with Jaykar, who was drinking water while holding a sword in one hand.
"...Long time no see."
"Yeah, it's been a while. I heard you came back. So what's going on here?"
"..."
"..."
He pursed his lips a few times and then just shut them.
Jaykar stared as if demanding an answer, but I tried to look away. Oh, it can't be helped. I can't say that I came out because I was bored and then got lost.
There was such an awkward silence for a moment that I said, "Ah."
Jaykar nodded as if he understood something.
"The training ground exclusively for the Commander of Corps 0 is in that direction. I guess you were confused about the location because you don't use it much."
"Ah..."
"You can get there faster if you cross the 5th Corps' exclusive training ground."
That's not it.
Even though I don't use it, I at least know where my private training room is. ... Maybe.
However, Jaykar looked at me with a satisfied face, as if he was completely convinced.
"I was worried that it didn't seem like you were practicing,, but I'm glad. Of course, it's not that I don't know your skills, and you're the type of person who gets stronger through actual combat... But isn't not practicing at all another story?"
Where did you hear such nonsense? I'm the type of person who gets stronger through actual combat? If I experience real combat, I will die, you damn demon.
"If you're not lost, you came to spar with me..."
"The direction is that way? Thank you."
"The 5th Corps training ground will be easy to find. Even if it wasn't, there was a lot of fuss about having some kind of commemorative party. The party may be over, but the traces haven't been cleaned up yet."
"Yes..."
I hesitated further, but then I hurriedly left because I felt like I was going to have to spar with the 1st Corps Commander if I stayed.
As Jaykar said, it wasn't difficult to find the 5th Corps' training ground. I walked straight in the direction he pointe and came across a vacant lot that was a mess.
Empty plates and alcohol bottles on the table and littered on the floor with chairs strewn about in a mess.
Judging by the fact that no one was there, it appears that the 5th Corps members went in to rest. Thanks to this, I was able to look at all of this in detail with peace of mind.
For example, a liquor bottle.
Oh, it's not that I really want to drink it. That's true, but... this was a widely spread alcohol in the human world.
Although it was not very expensive and was a bit strong, it was an alcoholic drink that was considered an advantage and is compatible with beer among commoners. I could be sure because it was a drink that nobles sometimes enjoyed drinking and I also enjoyed it.
Why was this here...
I picked up the bottle of alcohol, which had some liquid left on the bottom.
If Oel had returned, this drink and the unidentifiable objects scattered here and there were completely understandable.
Her curiosity was so great that not even the Demon Lord could handle it.
How could it be that the Demom King had thrown her out? The name was to have her roam the entire demon world for reconnaissance and information gathering, but in the end, he sent her outside to solve her curiosity and not torment the demons for nothing.
The effect was good. It's just that every time she came back, she brought a bunch of strange things that she didn't know what they were and introduced them to the demons.
Still, it was better than being asked endless questions, so the Demon King sent her out a lot.
"Come on, let's quickly clean up after ourselves."
I suddenly raised my head at the sound of a voice. Two employees were entering the place, carrying tongs and a trash container, as if they were trying to clean up the place.
When I looked closely, it seems like they hadn't seen me yet. If they had seen me, they would have definitely made a fuss in some way.
I need to sneak out before I get caught.
That was when I turned around.
"Hasn't it been a while since the 5th Corps Commander came back? What kind of party is this all of a sudden?"
"Do you not know the 5th Corps Commander's personality? In the meantime, she was so obsessed with introducing and using strange objects here and there that she postponed the party. And this isn't just a return party."
"Then...?"
"You know, Dernivan? Dernivan, the 5th Corps Commander's adjutant."
"Of course you know."
"Well, the Commander of the 5th Corps is dating him. That's why we held a celebration party to commemorate the occasion."
"Cough."
Oh no. I was so surprised that I started coughing...
Wasn't there any blood? Well, luckily I'm fine.
If it's Dernivan, I know him. A person who is the exact opposite of Oel, who is full of curiosity. I remember that he was an emotionless demon, to the point where I thought the undead had more emotions.
But Dernivan and Oel were dating?
I was dazed for a moment at a scene I couldn't even imagine, when there was a voice that brought my consciousness to the surface.
"Um... 0th Corps Commander...?"
A voice trembled. Suddenly, I raised my head and made eye contact with people I had forgotten about for a while.
What, why are they like that?
His complexion, which had been fine just a moment ago, turned pale when he looked at me.
The employee's gaze turned to the alcohol in my hand and then glanced at the empty liquor bottle on the table in front of me.
One, two, three... As the number increased, the pupils began to tremble mercilessly, but when they passed five, they got bigger as if they were about to faint, and after that, their conversation continued in a whisper as if they had given up on counting.
"Among the bottles of alcohol on the table... how many of them were still full?"
"How would I know that?"
"Is that so...?"
"..."
"..."
As if they had made a promise, the two exchanged glances with their mouths closed.
I couldn't wait to see what the hell they were doing and was about to quietly open my mouth when they suddenly shouted
"Emergency!!"
"The Commander of Corps 0 has been drinking!!"
...?
I could only stare back in bewilderment as the two screamed and ran away.
"what...?"
***
-Express Alert, Express Alert. 0th Corps Commander Demon Arut has drunk alcohol. Everyone assume a defensive position.
-Again. Demon Arut, Commander of the 0th Corps, has been drinking...
Alarms began to sound from communication spots with loudspeaker magic installed throughout the Demon King's Castle.
Everyone in the Demon King's Castle took out their weapons without hesitation in response to the alarm that rang throughout the entire castle without hesitation.
This was the same even for a single stable keeper.
The rookie tilted his head when he saw his senior picking up his weapons instead of just feeding the horses.
Wasn't the 0th Corps Commander an ally? It's just that he drank alcohol, so why was he so nervous?
"Sir, why are you using a weapon...?"
"What? Hey, didn't you read the work rules?"
"Yes? No, not yet..."
"Are you crazy?! Are you determined to die?"
"I was planning to finish reading it this evening..."
As he was looking at his senior running wild, he felt a sense of anxiety creeping in, and he pursed my lips to hide it.
"Ha... Okay, since this is the current situation... I'll explain only the important things first. Listen carefully."
The senior glanced at the waist and back of the newcomer and touched his forehead.
This guy didn't even bring a weapon. The work rules must have clearly stated, 'You must always have a weapon for self-defense.'
In a hurry, he held out a dagger.
"First, pick up your weapon. When the 0th Commander drinks more than a certain amount, he will randomly cut down anyone he sees, so if you don't want to die, you'd better hold on to it."
"Yes? Yes..."
"There are three things you need to remember. First, if the 0th Commander asks you if you are an enemy, immediately answer no. Secondly, he will not stop there, so when asked the reason, explain it as clearly as possible. Third, if he doubts your answer, immediately enter a defensive posture."
"Yes... But why are we in a defensive posture? In order to survive, you must attack rather than defend..."
"If you injure the Commander of Corps 0, you will die at the hands of the Demon King."
"Hiek."
This literally means that you must only provide minimal defense. If you overreacted and hurt the 0th Corps Commander's body... He reflexively wrapped his arms around his neck and trembled.
But if they didn't, they died? The opponent was the Commander of Corps 0. If you hesitated for no reason because even if you put all your effort into it, it won't be enough, your head will be blown off without you even realizing it.
So this is almost like just dying...?
Seeing the newcomer's eyes filled with fear, resentment, and the desire to live, the senior smiled and adjusted his weapon.
"Suppression is done by the Demon King. We just have to aim to survive as much as possible."
If you waited as long as you can, the Demon King will come and subdue him. As he said that, the back of his neck was soaked with cold sweat.
***
How would you feel if you suddenly heard that a 'special alert' was suddenly displayed throughout the Demon King Castle and that the reason was 'you'?
Needless to say, I thought it was a mess.
Even the reason was so far from the truth that I felt so unfair that I might crazy and start running wild.
I drank alcohol? No, it's ridiculous that an alarm went off because I might have been drinking, but what was even more absurd was that I didn't even drink alcohol. I couldn't even smell it, let alone drink it!
As I was thinking that and staring at the relatively large amount of alcohol bottles left, people with shields came rushing in from a distance.
They came running with solemn expressions as if a war had broken out somewhere, formed a circle around me at a certain distance, and all at once stamped their huge shields on the ground.
Thud!
The ground shook once.
"..."
The feeling that came to mind before embarrassment was absurdity. What did I do... They erected it perfectly, without any gaps.
Completely surrounded. Hahaha.
It seemed like a familiar scene came to mind, but maybe it was my mood.
Yes, it's like when hunting a wild boar that invades a village in the countryside, narrowing down the siege like this...
Are you fucking kidding me?!
'Am I a wild boar?!'
I furrowed my brows for a moment, but then quickly relaxed my expression.
In this situation, showing my nerves was neither porridge nor rice[1]. Rather, the probability of dying at their hands will only increase. Even now, they're shocked that I just furrowed my eyebrows. It seemed that vigilance has increased further.
In order to overcome this damn situation, we must first let down their guard. Only then will I be able to persuade or do anything else.
So I suppressed my irritation and forced a smile.
"Hey."
"Hiek... He's smiling right now, right? Are we going to die now?"
"No, don't back down. If even one person retreats, everyone dies. Hold your shield tight and be tense."
It backfired... Aren't you the 8th Corps? Looking at the large shield, it was clearly the 8th Corps.
Why were these guys who weren't regular shield soldiers so timid? Was it because of the Corps Commander? Were you influenced by the Corps Commander?
They're nervous this way, they're nervous that way... I don't know what to do with them.
'Just kick it away?'
When I saw the shield that was like an iron wall, I shook my head.
No, if I did that, only my ankles will hurt.
I have a temper, but I can't express it as I want. Instead of physically expressing my anger about this shitty situation, I just kept a straight face and glared at the shield.
Because of this, it became a little noisy again, but that was only for a moment.
"Is Demon there?"
A familiar voice came from beyond the shield.
'What the fuck...?'
Unlike the situation, the voice was full of leisure, but on the contrary, my heart sank to the floor.
It's the Demon King. The person I met in the library a little while ago was here.
[1] Korean expression that means a situation has come to an uncertain, indefinite, or awkward end that doesn't serve any real purpose. Its English equivalent could be "neither here nor there" or "neither fish nor fowl."