Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1049

“Are you listening?”

“…Huh?”

A crease formed on Cheongma’s brow.

The fact that a crease appeared on Cheongma’s brow, who rarely showed any change in expression, meant that he was very serious right now.

“You’re not listening, are you?”

“Umm.”

Cheongma sighed deeply, very deeply.

Sighing in front of the Demon Lord was an act of blasphemy that could get you killed instantly. If anyone other than Cheongma had done such a thing, they would have been dragged out before Kang Jin-ho could even open his mouth.

Only Cheongma could stand before Kang Jin-ho and sigh.

“My Lord, Demon Lord.”

“Speak.”

“You are too indifferent to everything in this world.”

Kang Jin-ho narrowed his eyes slightly.

“So?”

“Of course, you don’t need to pay attention to every little thing. Isn’t that why I’m here? You just need to lead us all. But…”

Cheongma spoke with a slightly regretful tone.

“Sometimes, it’s a little disheartening. Whether you don’t care about worldly affairs because you don’t need to, or…”

“Or?”

Cheongma said with a bitter face.

“Or if it’s just like a person not caring about the ants at their feet.”

“That’s excessive.”

“Perhaps it is.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at Cheongma before opening his mouth.

“Should I care?”

“…This subordinate is foolish and did not fully understand your words.”

“It’s as I said.”

Kang Jin-ho said in a low voice.

“I know they follow me. But that’s not what I wanted. I just did what I had to do. Even so, am I obligated to those who idolize and follow me?”

“That is not the case, my Lord.” Cheongma shook his head.

“Even if you consider them, and me, as ants, no one can say that it is wrong. In the end, the value of others is determined by themselves.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly looked at Cheongma.

His words say there’s no problem, but his tone says otherwise.

“What do you want to say?”

“My Lord.”

Cheongma slightly spread his arms.

“You have everything in your hands. You are the leader of the supreme divine religion, and all the powers of the world bow before you. Although there are minor rebellions, in the end, everyone will kneel before your majesty.”

“Hmm.”

“But I also think this. What does all of that mean to you?”

Kang Jin-ho looked at Cheongma without saying anything.

Cheongma’s words were not wrong.

None of what Cheongma had said meant anything to Kang Jin-ho. Nothing would change even if they knelt and bowed their heads to him.

“My Lord.”

“Speak.”

“In the end, the world is made by humans and their interactions.”

“They may be insignificant to you, but it is difficult to find joy in life if you do not associate with people.”

“Joy, huh…”

Kang Jin-ho curled up the corners of his mouth.

Cheongma was genuinely worried about him.

But there was an insurmountable wall between Kang Jin-ho and Cheongma.

How could Cheongma know?

Why he couldn’t care about the people living in this era, why he couldn’t consider them as equals.

It was too difficult to explain.

“I know what you’re trying to say.”

“Yes.”

“But it’s not easy for me.”

“My Lord.”

Cheongma smiled gently.

“Someday, you will also experience the joy of being with people.”

“Joy, huh…”

Kang Jin-ho quietly raised his head and looked at the ceiling.

‘That’s foolish.’

That day would never come.

For him, joy was an emotion he had left in another world. As long as he couldn’t return to that world, Kang Jin-ho would not feel joy until the day he died.

“Will that day come?”

“Of course, my Lord. And…”

Kang Jin-ho quietly waited for Cheongma’s next words.

“If that day comes, you will know how joyful it is to live in relationships with people.”

Kang Jin-ho curled up the corners of his mouth.

“I’ll listen to the report properly, so stop nagging.”

Cheongma nodded and began the report again.

Cheongma’s prophecy eventually came true.

Of course, Cheongma couldn’t have predicted that Kang Jin-ho would return to the modern world, but as a result, Kang Jin-ho came to live in relationships with people, just as Cheongma had said.

And as he said, he learned how to find joy in those relationships.

However, there was one problem.

‘Why didn’t you tell me this in advance, Cheongma?’

Kang Jin-ho swallowed hard.

The sight of Choi Yeon-ha smiling brightly felt like a stab to the heart.

Living in relationships was an incredibly joyful thing. But if he had known in advance that there was such a danger in that joy.

Kang Jin-ho tried to force an awkward smile but quickly stopped his lips from moving.

‘I shouldn’t smile.’

Still, how long had it been since he returned to reality? It was more than enough time to develop some sense. And that sense was telling him now. That he shouldn’t smile back just because Choi Yeon-ha was smiling.

“Ah… so?”

Kang Jin-ho tilted his head slightly, and the eyes of Choi Yeon-ha, which had narrowed with laughter, flashed momentarily.

‘See?’

The saying that you can kill someone with a look is used in times like this.

Kang Jin-ho had never felt fear in the eyes of an enemy, but Choi Yeon-ha’s gaze was enough to make even the mighty Kang Jin-ho flinch.

In a brief moment that no one but Kang Jin-ho could have caught, Choi Yeon-ha’s gaze softened again.

“Ah, yes, that…”

Kang Jin-ho forced open his reluctant mouth.

“Han Se-yeon?”

“Yes.”

Stay calm.

When he thought about it, there was no reason to hesitate. He hadn’t done anything wrong.

“She’s a high school classmate.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. We were close back then. Along with Yoo-min.”

“Ah…”

“We lost contact when I went to the military.”

“Oh, an old friend.”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled gently.

Now he could smile…

“I heard you two dated?”

Not yet.

Kang Jin-ho quickly pushed his lips down. If he smiled wrong, he’d get a punch in the face.

“…That’s right.”

His spine was cold, but he shouldn’t make excuses. In times like this, a clumsy attempt at an excuse would ruin everything.

“Hmm.”

Choi Yeon-ha smiled brightly as she scanned Kang Jin-ho up and down.

“Why are you so nervous?”

“Huh?”

“It’s not like I’m going to eat you. People can do that when they live.”

“Hahaha…”

“What does it matter what you did in the past? You just don’t meet her again now.”

Kang Jin-ho realized in an instant that he had made a mistake.

‘I didn’t hear how much she knew.’

If he had known this would happen, he should have asked Park Yoo-min for more details.

Choi Yeon-ha chuckled and reached out to pat Kang Jin-ho’s shoulder.

“You’ll get a cramp. Relax.”

“…Ah, yes.”

“Don’t overreact like that. I’m not trying to scold you. I was just curious. Where you were and what you were doing before you met me. When I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever heard those stories.”

“Uh…”

‘Damn it.’

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

Now that he heard it, it was true. He had hardly told Choi Yeon-ha anything about himself. Even when he did, it was about what he was doing now, not about the past.

“So, I’d appreciate it if you could tone down the face you’re making like you’re looking at a nagging wife?”

Kang Jin-ho nodded awkwardly.

Seeing that, Choi Yeon-ha chuckled and leaned back on the sofa.

“I told you not to be nervous. It seems like she’s been contacting you, and I brought it up because I thought it would be awkward if I knew but didn’t say anything. You can’t just ignore her calls, can you? You’re not that kind of person.”

Should he nod?

Or should he say no?

It was too difficult a question for Kang Jin-ho to choose. Unable to find an answer, Kang Jin-ho could only freeze with an awkward expression.

“So, don’t try to hide it and just talk about it openly. Got it?”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“But, well, your reaction is a bit shocking. I thought you’d just say it calmly, but you’re sweating bullets.”

Was he sweating bullets?

Kang Jin-ho unconsciously touched his forehead. But there was nothing on his hand.

The moment he realized he had been tricked, Choi Yeon-ha made a meaningful expression.

“You were nervous, weren’t you?”

“I want to tease you a bit more, but I’ll stop here. I won’t mind, so don’t worry about it either. Okay?”

“Yes.”

“But just one thing.”

“Yes?”

Choi Yeon-ha made a slightly different expression than before.

“Is it all settled?”

“Of course.”

He could answer this without a moment’s hesitation.

Seeing Kang Jin-ho answer with conviction, Choi Yeon-ha nodded.

“Okay, then. That’s all for this!”

He was alive.

Kang Jin-ho let out a deep sigh, thinking that he had overcome a major hurdle.

‘That’s a relief.’

“Did you hear the story from Yoo-min?”

“Yes. Park Yoo-min seems to have some loyalty, but the situation was very awkward. There was no room for excuses. And…”

“And?”

“She was also nervous about filming the commercial.”

“Ah…”

Well, even if nothing was going on, Park Yoo-min would be nervous if the name Han Se-yeon came up, so it would have been difficult for her to handle the situation on set.

“But it was really amazing. I didn’t know Park Yoo-min was such a famous person.”

By Choi Yeon-ha’s standards, she couldn’t be called a celebrity, but Park Yoo-min certainly had a considerable level of recognition.

“She’s capable.”

“Well, she’s your friend.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled without realizing it.

“How was the filming?”

“The worst.”

Choi Yeon-ha said indifferently.

“Since she’s your friend, I filmed while laughing even though she had 50 NGs [No Good takes]. If it were someone else, I would have kicked them out.”

Yoo-min.

I saved you once. Don’t forget it.

“But it ended well, so don’t worry. If we do some dubbing and adjust the colors, we’ll get a decent picture.”

“That’s a relief.”

The atmosphere loosened up a bit as Park Yoo-min’s story came up.

“How’s the training going?”

“It’s manageable.”

“Hmm?”

Choi Yeon-ha looked Kang Jin-ho up and down and chuckled.

‘He even came wearing a suit.’

It seemed like he was going to rush straight to the company as soon as his date with Choi Yeon-ha was over. She wanted to tease him a little more, but Choi Yeon-ha knew she shouldn’t.

“Then that’s all for today. I was going to make you a meal, but it seems like the company is more urgent than food.”

“Ah, it’s okay…”

“Go when I tell you to. Or I won’t let you go.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled awkwardly and got up from his seat.