Clink.
The sound of a heavy coin pouch.
The sound of becoming that much richer.
Clatter.
The sound that gives you peace of mind.
The kind of sound that makes you smile without realizing it.
Clang.
Once, it was everything to my grandmother.
The sound she worked so hard to create.
"...."
Holding the coin pouch in his hand, feeling its weight in his palm, Kim Jangcheol was overcome by a strange feeling.
Maybe that faint, bitter smile at the corner of his lips came from that.
"Baal, feels good. I sold a lot of Chuno."
Baal's proud voice tapped lightly at his ear as they walked side by side. When he looked over, that annoyingly romantic manga protagonist face of his was colored with clear emotion.
The color of pride and deep emotion.
"We worked hard growing potatoes. Worked hard making chuno. Today, humans liked it. They recognized our effort here."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Baal, is happy."
A smile entirely devoid of malice bloomed on Baal's face.
But why?
Why did the expression my grandmother used to make in the evenings when I was in middle school suddenly come to mind?
"......"
Today feels like a strange day.
A weird feeling keeps bubbling up for no reason.
It's not good. Going back through old memories like this, digging them up—none of it's helpful.
But they keep surfacing.
That tiny one-room semi-basement back then.
My grandmother, returning home every evening with a tired face.
But when she saw me, she would always smile. And then clink. She'd place down her coin pouch, full of coins, and count the day's labor in numbers.
A hundred won, two hundred won, three hundred fifty won…
It was surprisingly heavy—so heavy it made her back bend—but when she counted it out, it was barely a few thousand won. Still, with that, she fed me, clothed me, and raised me—my dear grandmother.
"......."
Today really is a strange day.
Even Zephyros, walking beside us on the other side, is saying strange things.
"Just like Lord Baal said, I feel a sense of pride, my lord. After all, the potatoes we all worked so hard to grow at the Demon King's Castle, and the chuno made from them, seem to be welcomed here."
"Hmm, to be precise, wasn't it Baal who got the welcome?"
"Well, you could say that."
Zephyros smiled faintly. It seemed like he didn't want to back down from his own thoughts.
"In the end, I believe the people here will come to recognize the true value of chuno as well. I can't help but feel that way. Chuno is… that delicious. It also keeps remarkably well."
"A sense of pride?"
"You could call it the first local specialty of the Abandoned Land."
"The first and last, probably."
"…Yes, probably."
That's likely how it'll be.
We won't be coming back here again. We won't return to the human world. This must be the last time.
'We can't stay near that Aged Kimchi bastard too long.'
The longer we do, the more dangerous it becomes. Not just for me, but for Zephyros, Baal, Asurat, and Sirgi too.
That bastard—Aged Kimchi—he's that kind of person. No matter how many of us go at him together, he's not someone we can handle.
"But, my lord."
"Yeah."
"May I speak honestly about something?"
"Sure."
"You're not even asking what it is."
"No need to. Go ahead."
"…I just, suddenly felt a pang of envy."
"Now that's interesting. Envy? Of what?"
"These humans here."
Crossing the plaza and turning into a narrow alley, Zephyros glanced around. With the sinking glow of sunset casting his side profile in light, he wrinkled his nose slightly.
"To be honest, I've been a bit surprised since we arrived this morning."
"Because of how these people live?"
"Yes."
A nameless child, unaware of the world's pain, dashed past them. Probably running to a home where a warm dinner and a mother's smile awaited. Leaving behind a joyful day with friends. To dream of tomorrow once more.
"I've only ever heard stories about the human world. That it's a place with more food than the Abandoned Land. That if we invaded, we wouldn't have to go hungry anymore… That's about all I knew of the human world."
"And now that you're here, it's a bit different?"
"Completely."
A bitter smile formed at the edge of his lips.
Was it for himself?
Or perhaps mourning for the countless demon race members who starved to death generation after generation in the Abandoned Land?
"It's far more… overwhelming than I imagined. The humans walking down the street don't look particularly malnourished, and none of them seem like they're thinking of eating one another. And…"
"And?"
"The fact that they can pay money—their own money—to buy food… Seeing it in person was quite a shock."
"Well, yeah. In the Abandoned Land, something like buying and selling is a pipe dream."
Exactly.
A place where, just to keep from starving, you had to prey on weaker members of your own kind to survive. Where you had to fight tooth and nail just to not be eaten.
In such a place, buying and selling food must've sounded like something out of a fantasy.
Regret laced Zephyros's voice.
"To think a world like this actually existed… and we lived without knowing it."
"…So, does that mean you want to invade now?"
"No. Not at all."
"Then?"
"I want to serve you better, my lord."
"…Why is that where this went?"
"Because I believe, if I do, we can also become this prosperous."
"..."
That hit deep.
I was a bit shaken.
Because I could feel the sincerity in his voice. I could feel how much he wanted to rely on me. That trust and sincerity… it felt heavy.
And I wasn't sure I could carry that weight.
'I'm not that great, or even a good person.'
I'm just struggling to survive.
Ever since coming to this world, that's all I've been doing.
Crawling, scrambling, doing whatever it takes to stay alive. It just so happened that those efforts brought benefit to everyone else too.
And yet, they rely on me this much?
Say they'll rely on me even more?
"..."
Honestly, I wanted to stop him.
But I couldn't bring myself to say it.
I didn't know how to respond. All I could do was deflect with a cowardly laugh, just trying to shake off the pressure.
"Haha, keep this up and you'll be rich."
"I don't seek wealth. I just hope everyone in the Abandoned Land can go through a day without skipping a meal—that it becomes a normal, everyday thing."
"Is that so…"
"Yes, my lord."
"Right. Sounds good."
I couldn't bring myself to say things like Let's do our best, or I'll make it happen, or That's how it'll be.
Because I wasn't confident it would happen.
Because I didn't think I was capable of something that great.
'…I just wanted to help them survive enough to hold off the urge to invade the human world. Really, I just didn't want to die.'
So why have I ended up planting expectations in this guy—and in the others too?
I don't know.
Maybe it's just that today feels off. Maybe Zephyros is just getting emotional too.
"Tch. Enough."
But now's the time to leave the sentiment behind. Just a few more turns and we'll meet up with the rest of the group. And he will be there—that terrifying Aged Kimchi.
"From here on out, shh. Time for silence mode. You get what that means, right?"
"Yes, I understand."
"Baal gets it too! Lips sealed! Clap!"
"…Yeah. Good boy."
We walked a few dozen more meters. Winding, twisting—through a ridiculously complex maze of alleys. After a few more turns, familiar faces came into view.
"Kwaaagh!"
"Hee-haw!"
Is it happy to see me?
Asurat and Sirgi each shook their drooping beak and sagging lips.
…Yeah. I guess it would be happy.
Having to keep up the beast(?) cosplay all day long without being able to speak because of that Aged Kimchi guy's group—how miserable and exhausting must that have been.
But it can't be helped.
Sometimes, proper acting skills are essential for prolonging your life.
Just like now.
"Oh dear, there, my fluffy ones. You little rascals, have you been well?"
"Kwaaak!"
"Prrrr!"
Asurat's lower beak puffed up.
Sirgi spit out a few drops of saliva.
I could feel the two of them cursing at me with their eyes.
But what can you do. This is all for survival.
I ignored the protesting stares from Asurat and Sirgi and turned to Reivaj.
"Has everyone been alright?"
"Thanks to you."
Reivaj nodded with a slightly weary face. He must have spent the entire day resting in this alley. Yet, it didn't seem like that rest helped his fatigue much.
Of course, the servant's chuno… no, Dyoll, added his two cents.
"Oh dear, not at all. We've had quite a bit happening. Honestly, I think our young master's about to drop dead."
"…Ahem. Mind your words."
"But it's true, isn't it, young master?"
"Tsk, tsk! Always such dramatics."
"But the young master's well-being is the most important thing to me. That's why I'm asking, isn't that right, Sir Kim Jangcheol?"
"…Uh, yes, that's right."
"Which brings me to my question—how did the chuno sales go?"
"As for that, heh heh."
Clink.
He proudly held up the coin pouch. At the sound of the heavy coins, Dyoll's eyes shimmered faintly with golden light.
"Haah… money…"
"..."
This one's got quite the taste for money. No, judging by those eyes, it's like he's possessed by a money demon.
Although his young master was a bit different.
"…You sold all the chuno you brought?"
"Yes, I did."
"Haa. To think a quantity equal to one-fifth of the cart sold out… I never imagined this would happen…"
"Are you worried?"
"Wouldn't you be?"
At the unexpected news of a complete sell-out, Reivaj's face darkened with concern.
"Hearing it sold that well only makes me more anxious. Those chuno were originally meant to be presented to His Majesty and reported accordingly…"
"But I only sold the portion equivalent to one-fifth. The rest remains completely intact, so it won't hinder the mission's completion."
"We can't be certain just yet. If word of the chuno sold today spreads widely throughout this region…"
"That won't happen."
He said, to ease Reivaj's mind.
"Though this city is located on the frontier, it's still a central hub for this region. Which means it's also quite removed from hunger and poverty. It's unlikely that people here would go wild over dried potatoes, even if they're a bit large."
"Is… that so?"
"Indeed. As I said before, most people will probably just think they tried some slightly unusual potatoes. And after a day or two, they'll forget all about it."
He spoke honestly.
It was a cold, realistic assessment.
No matter how much effort, blood, and sweat they poured into making the chuno, from the human world's perspective, it's nothing more than a peculiar kind of potato.
That's probably the objective evaluation.
"So, please don't worry too much, young master. Right now, what's more urgent is using this money to find a decent place to stay."
"…Alright. And thank you."
"It's nothing."
Everyone stepped out of the alley together.
Toward the inn we had scoped out in advance. To the cheapest inn in this city. Into the cheapest room in that inn.
Entry, complete.
"…Though, I must say, this room seems a bit too cramped, doesn't it?"
"Y-Yeah, you're right."
The servant and the young master had to work hard to hide their embarrassment. They had no choice. The room was just far too small, dark, and shabby compared to what they had expected.
"Baal can't stretch his legs!"
"Then keep them bent."
"Baal just got poked in the side!"
"Oh, I stretched my leg… Sorry about that?"
"A potato poked Baal!"
"…Excuse me? What now?"
Everyone realized it.
This room is too small.
So small they couldn't even lie down. No—only by hugging their legs and squatting could they barely secure their own little spaces.
But Kim Jangcheol didn't care. No—in fact, with a face armored in titanium steel, he even flashed a bright smile.
"Wow. It's been ages since I last slept indoors. We've got a roof, so no rain, and walls, so no wind."
"And no windows, so it's hard to breathe."
"Well hey, at least it's well insulated."
"..."
After that, no one said anything.
Were they blaming Kim Jangcheol for booking such a room just to save a few coins?
No.
Before anyone realized it, everyone had dozed off.
Exhausted from the continuous camping and forced marches. And comforted by the peace of resting indoors, cramped though it may be.
With the exception of Asurat and Sirgi, who suffered a bout of existential dread after spending an unexpected night in a stable, it was a fairly cozy night for everyone.
***
Morning came.
Perhaps it was thanks to a rare night of restful sleep out of the cold wind.
Kim Jangcheol woke up with a body feeling much lighter than the day before. And he began to prepare for the journey ahead. He washed his face, had breakfast, and stepped out of the inn with energetic strides.
Thanks to that, he had to realize something right away.
'Today too is really…'
Turning out to be a strange day.
Because why, oh why, was the shabby inn we had stayed in completely surrounded, early in the morning, by hundreds of people who had come in an open-run frenzy to buy chuno?
[T/L: I am not getting any support from webnovel platform, so please support me and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]