Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 800

“We need to organize this.”

Kang Jin-ho looked into the storage room, his mouth slightly agape.

He could see why they said they were short on manpower. From the initial building design, the storage room was made large. Due to Kang Jin-ho’s tendency to think big, he believed that the more storage space, the better.

But inside that large storage entrance, there was a huge pile of stuff.

“What is all this?”

“Rice, ramen, detergent, and stuff? Usually, they’re called daily necessities.”

“Why is it piled up like this?”

Kang Jin-ho frowned.

It wasn’t bad to have a lot of things stocked up. Being abundant is a good thing. But this was too much.

Everything has an expiration date. Especially for food, the longer it’s stored, the lower the freshness and the more nutrients are destroyed. We live in a world where you can get deliveries with a click of a button. There’s no need to buy so much in advance and pile it up messily.

“Ah, we didn’t buy this.”

“Huh?”

“It’s donations, donations.”

“Donations?”

Jo Mi-hye nodded.

“Since we built a new building and took in more kids, it became well-known that there’s an orphanage here, so we’ve been getting donations from everywhere. But you know how donations are. The types are all different, and the quantities are all different, so it’s hard to organize. That’s why we have to set aside a day to do this.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“But why are you guys doing this? What are the staff doing?”

“Of course, they’re working. But this place requires a lot of hands, Oppa.”

“Huh?”

“Because of the sick kids.”

“…Ah!”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“Then you should hire more people.”

Jo Mi-hye chuckled.

“It would be nice if everything could be solved by hiring people. But hiring people also requires permission. I don’t know the details, but it seems like the number of staff you can hire is determined by the number of kids.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah. Plus, we have sick kids mixed with the healthy ones. They say that’s not supposed to happen. So, they say we have to give up on some things.”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Jo Mi-hye with a slightly puzzled expression.

“But how do you know all this so well?”

“Is there anyone who lives in a house and doesn’t know how it works?”

“…No, I guess not.”

“Then, of course, I should know.”

That was true.

But it wasn’t a given.

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s not like I’m a girl who became mature early because of my difficult circumstances. I might look a bit pitiful and sad, making me look pretty.”

“…I never thought of that.”

“Think about it a little!”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled and headed into the storage room.

“Then, should we start organizing this?”

“Yeah, Oppa. The kids will be here soon. Let’s do it together.”

“No. It’s okay.”

Kang Jin-ho slipped his hand under a sack of rice.

“You’ll hurt your back!”

“I said it’s okay.”

It shouldn’t be okay.

He was lifting eight sacks of rice at once with one hand. If that was okay, he wouldn’t be human.

There was so much to say, but Kang Jin-ho was so nonchalant that she couldn’t say anything. Kang Jin-ho, holding the rice sacks as if they were shopping bags from the mart, asked casually,

“Where should I put these?”

“…Over there.”

Kang Jin-ho moved the rice sacks to where Jo Mi-hye pointed and rolled up his sleeves.

“Shall we do this properly? Okay, give me instructions. I’ll move it.”

Inside the storage room, a human bulldozer began to rampage.

“Noona! This! Snacks came in today… What is this?”

The children who rushed into the storage room widened their eyes at the neatly organized space.

“T-this shouldn’t be like this?”

The storage room, which had resembled a hell on earth just an hour ago, was now clean. It seemed like it would take all the children in the orphanage more than a day to organize it, but why was it already done?

“Noona?”

Jo Mi-hye looked back at the children with a slightly dazed expression.

“Huh? I didn’t hear you, what did you say?”

“Snacks came in…”

“P-put them over there.”

The children piled up boxes as big as themselves in the corner. Meanwhile, Kang Jin-ho walked out from inside.

“I was thinking…”

“Huh? Oppa?”

“Wouldn’t it be hard to move the rice if it’s placed deep inside? It’s better to put heavy things near the entrance, so it’s easier to place and move.”

“Huh? Y-yes, I guess so?”

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded as if he understood.

“Then we should move it again.”

Before anyone could say anything, Kang Jin-ho started moving the rice.

‘It’s rice…’

She began to doubt if what was inside those sacks was really rice. Could it be styrofoam or something?

Otherwise, how could a person lift and move them so easily?

At this point, it was something to report to the news.

“Hup!”

Kang Jin-ho, having moved all the rice sacks in an instant, dusted off his hands and walked out.

“Is it all done?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, how about a cold drink for the work I did?”

Jo Mi-hye nodded blankly.

*Clink!*

The sound of a cola can opening was refreshing.

Kang Jin-ho gulped down the cola. The cola went down his throat.

Jo Mi-hye, who had been quietly watching him, asked.

“Oppa.”

“Hmm?”

“Why do you like cola so much?”

“Me?”

“Yeah. It seems like you always drink cola whenever you drink something.”

“Hmm…”

Kang Jin-ho scratched his head.

He didn’t particularly prefer cola. He wasn’t a fan of carbonated drinks. For Kang Jin-ho, cola was not a drink to enjoy for its taste but a symbolic one.

A symbol of living in the modern era, perhaps?

“It just seems like they’re all similar.”

“Is that so?”

Kang Jin-ho nodded and asked back.

“Can I ask you something too?”

“Yeah. Ask away.”

“Usually, things like storage management are supposed to be done by the staff, right? Why are you guys doing it?”

“Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

“There’s no such thing as work that the staff should do.”

Jo Mi-hye shrugged and said.

“Of course, we can’t manage money. But other than that, what is there that we shouldn’t do here? This is our home. If someone is too busy to do something, it’s natural for us to do it.”

“Still, you guys…”

“And even if we’re not busy, it’s the same. Just because mom and dad are resting at home doesn’t mean they always have to do the dishes. It’s the same for us.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded. If she put it that way, there was nothing to say. Should they hire people and tell them not to lift a finger? That would be pushing the children away.

Living together is like that.

“And personally, I’m very interested in this area.”

“Interested?”

“I’m going to be a social worker.”

“Oh?”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Jo Mi-hye with a slightly surprised expression.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“No.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

He was actually a little surprised. He thought that children who grew up in orphanages would often become social workers, but in reality, children who grew up in orphanages want to erase the orphanage from their lives.

It wasn’t a matter of whether the orphanage was good or bad. Living a different life from others is always a complex. No matter how hard the orphanage tries to take care of the children, there are parts that cannot be filled.

There are quite a few cases of people supporting orphanages while living different lives, but it is rare for children to try to live a life directly related to orphanages. So, it was surprising.

“I like it here.”

“The orphanage?”

“I don’t know if I should say I like the orphanage or if I like it here… Anyway, I like it. I have a lot of friends… and, well, the people I cherish are all here.”

Jo Mi-hye smiled brightly.

“So, I want to create a place like this later. Right now, Oppa is doing everything, but I want to become someone like Oppa to other kids later. It won’t be easy, though.”

It was a difficult task.

But there was no need to give advice. Jo Mi-hye already knew how difficult it was.

“Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

Jo Mi-hye jumped up from her seat.

“As I’ve been thinking and looking around, I realized how much you’ve been doing for this place.”

“Why are you suddenly like this?”

“I had a vague idea before, but after looking into it properly, I realized how much you’ve been taking care of things.”

Kang Jin-ho said firmly.

“I’m not doing this to be thanked, so stop there.”

“It’s not important whether you want to be thanked or not. What’s important is that I’m grateful. So, stand up straight.”

Kang Jin-ho awkwardly got up from his seat.

Then, Jo Mi-hye bowed deeply. Kang Jin-ho awkwardly bowed his head as well.

Jo Mi-hye, who had raised her head, smiled.

“Ah, that feels good.”

“…It’s awkward.”

“It’s okay. It’s supposed to be awkward. People who come to donate are also very awkward when we ask them to take pictures together. But when they actually see the pictures, they’re very happy. That’s how people are.”

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho was learning from a child.

“So, you can straighten your shoulders.”

Kang Jin-ho sighed softly.

“Should I?”

“Yeah. We’ll try our best too.”

Jo Mi-hye said with a serious look.

“Everyone work hard. We need to do well as much as Oppa helps us, because that’s how we repay you. You know how that idiot Jin-sung Oppa is studying all day long. He was studying until dawn yesterday.”

She knew.

She knew that and still cornered him about watching porn.

A scary child.

Kang Jin-ho looked at Jo Mi-hye quietly and then opened his mouth.

Maybe this child could answer his question?

“Mi-hye.”

“Yeah? What is it, Oppa?”

“What if…”

“Yeah.”

Kang Jin-ho hesitated slightly and then opened his mouth.

“What if I had to open several new orphanages and couldn’t pay as much attention to you guys?”

“We’d be sad.”

“We’d be very sad. Some of us might even cry?”

“R-really?”

Kang Jin-ho clicked his tongue.

“But everyone would agree.”

Jo Mi-hye looked at Kang Jin-ho quietly and then opened her mouth.

“Because we know it’s a better thing to do. We shouldn’t monopolize Oppa. Even if we’re sad and annoyed, everyone would understand.”

“Even if the support for you guys decreases?”

“Oppa, you say some really stupid things sometimes.”

“What’s so unfair about eating a little less or wearing a little less? Do you think we wouldn’t envy other kids if we lived like we do now?”

“That’s not true.”

“Thanks to you, Oppa, we got the chance to live like others. That’s enough, right?”

“Stop thinking about others, Oppa. If you want to do something, just do it. Before asking us if it’s okay, think about what you want to do. If it’s something you want to do, we’ll follow you without question.”

Kang Jin-ho made an awkward expression.

“Thanks for saying that, even if it’s just words.”

“I’m not joking.”

Jo Mi-hye grabbed Kang Jin-ho, who was trying to escape.

“Before thinking about how hard it would be for the kids if you let go, think about how much you’ve done for them. Don’t make us look like ungrateful people.”

Jo Mi-hye smiled.

Her smile seemed bright.

“Oppa, your shoulders look heavy. Just wait a little. Me, Jin-sung Oppa, and the other kids are all working hard. In a few years, everyone will be helping you. Jin-sung Oppa is studying like crazy because he wants to work as your secretary.”

“I may not be able to repay your kindness, but I won’t cause you any trouble. So, straighten your shoulders, brother.”

Kang Jin-ho, who had been quietly looking at Jo Mi-hye, slowly nodded.

“I will.”

It was a day that made him want to look up at the sky.