Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1221

“Where’s Yumin?”\n\n”He’s busy these days.”\n\n”The season’s over, isn’t it?”\n\n”That’s why he’s even busier.”\n\n”……Why do you keep using honorifics with me?”\n\nHan Jin-sung clutched his report card slightly.\n\n”I have a guilty conscience, so I can’t speak casually, hyung [older brother/male friend].”\n\n”Then keep using honorifics.”\n\n”……Yes.”\n\nKang Jin-ho chuckled.\n\n”What do you mean he’s busier after the season ended?”\n\n”He won this time, didn’t he? You were on TV too, hyung.”\n\n”Ugh…”\n\nJo Mi-hye glanced sideways.\n\n”You went with Yeon-ha noona [older sister/female friend], right? You’re openly advertising it now? Is that okay?”\n\n”…”\n\nKang Jin-ho scratched his cheek.\n\nHe didn’t particularly intend to hide his relationship with Choi Yeon-ha. He had just been cautious because he had heard from various sources that scandals were fatal for celebrities.\n\nIt didn’t matter to Kang Jin-ho, but he didn’t want to cause any harm to Choi Yeon-ha. However, this time it was Choi Yeon-ha who took the initiative, not Kang Jin-ho.\n\nWhat could he say about that?\n\n”She must have her reasons.”\n\n”Hmm…”\n\nJo Mi-hye made a humming sound, as if she had some idea.\n\n”Anyway, because he won, it seems like he’s getting flooded with events and interviews.”\n\n”Really?”\n\n”Yeah. Apparently, that side has been in a bit of a slump lately, so they’re planning to package this as a good story and make it a hot topic.”\n\nKang Jin-ho nodded.\n\nHe didn’t know much about that world, but it was definitely a big deal for a former top gamer in another field to win in the current popular game.\n\n”The kids must be happy.”\n\n”You have no idea, hyung. The kids are not sleeping and playing games, it’s a mess. They all want to become pro gamers. They should be studying.”\n\n”Yumin is doing well as a pro gamer, so why are you stopping them?”\n\n”It’s faster for me to become a doctor than for them to become pro gamers.”\n\n”……Don’t let them.”\n\n”I’m going to.”\n\nIt was an understandable explanation.\n\nIf you don’t have the talent, it’s better not to enter that industry.\n\n”Anyway, it seems like he’s been incredibly busy.”\n\n”He should rest a bit after the season ends.”\n\n”That’s how it is, though. People at the top don’t have time to rest. If they rest a little and relax a little, others will catch up.”\n\nKang Jin-ho nodded.\n\n’That’s true.’\n\nThat’s what a competitive life is like.\n\n”And you have to row when the water comes in! It’s all money, hyung. How long does a pro gamer’s prime last? You have to run like crazy and make a lot of money, then rest later.”\n\nKang Jin-ho looked at Han Jin-sung with a startled expression.\n\nHow did this child become such a capitalist monster?\n\n”Then Yumin won’t be able to come often either?”\n\n”Yeah, that’s right.”\n\n”Is that so?”\n\nKang Jin-ho fell into a slight contemplation.\n\nHan Jin-sung was quite close to Kang Jin-ho. He was one of the most comfortable children in the orphanage.\n\nBecause it was Han Jin-sung, he could easily share his concerns with Kang Jin-ho. It would be difficult for other children to confide such worries.\n\n’I need a solution.’\n\nThe same goes for the general meeting and the orphanage.\n\nPlaces where people live must constantly change. There is no perfect system or perfect operation. What was once thought to be perfect becomes outdated and old as time passes.\n\nIf Kang Jin-ho could visit the orphanage as often as before, he could catch problems in time, but that was impossible now. He needed someone who could notice the problems in the orphanage and tell him about them.\n\n”Well, then…”\n\nThat’s when it happened.\n\nBang!\n\nThe door opened violently, and a person came inside.\n\n”Huh?”\n\n”Oh?”\n\n”Were you here?”\n\n”Ah…”\n\nKang Jin-ho was flustered and speechless as he looked at Choi Yeon-ha, who had opened the door.\n\nHe knew that Choi Yeon-ha often visited the orphanage now, but what was with that confident, at-home attitude?\n\n”What brings you here?”\n\n”My schedule finished, so I stopped by,” Choi Yeon-ha said casually as she came inside.\n\n”Unnie [older sister/female friend], you’re here?”\n\n”Noona, you’re here…”\n\nThe children happily approached Choi Yeon-ha. However, Choi Yeon-ha’s reaction was a little different from what they expected.\n\n”Hey!”\n\nChoi Yeon-ha’s face slightly contorted.\n\nJust a slight frown, and the children froze.\n\n’Amazing!’\n\nKang Jin-ho was impressed by the sight. He felt like he could understand how others felt when they saw him handling the children before.\n\n”What’s that smell?”\n\n”……Smell? Unnie, what smell?”\n\n”These kids are reeking! The orphanage smells musty! Open all the windows!”\n\n”We’ll freeze to death!”\n\n”Think carefully. Which is better, freezing to death or dying at my hands?”\n\n”……I’ll open them right now. Kids, open the windows quickly!”\n\nIn an instant, the orphanage went into emergency mode. The children ran quickly and threw open the windows.\n\n”Why is the air here like this? Even if it’s cold, shouldn’t you ventilate?”\n\n”……If we ventilate a lot, the heating bill will be high.”\n\n”Why are you guys worrying about money! I… no, that man over there is here!”\n\nChoi Yeon-ha pointed at Kang Jin-ho, and everyone nodded.\n\nWhat kind of reaction is this?\n\n”No, even if you don’t ventilate, how can the smell be like this… Jo Mi-hye!”\n\n”Yes, Unnie!”\n\nEven Jo Mi-hye was completely frozen and answered immediately.\n\n’Amazing.’\n\nKang Jin-ho looked at Choi Yeon-ha with admiration.\n\nIt was like watching an animal trainer handling a ferocious lion like a puppy.\n\n”You, why are you wearing the same clothes as yesterday?”\n\nKang Jin-ho’s eyes widened slightly.\n\nDid she come yesterday too?\n\nJo Mi-hye looked around in a panic. Then, she said in a slightly dead voice.\n\n”I’ll change, Unnie.”\n\n”No? I’ve never seen you wear the same clothes before? If you’re wearing the same clothes, then the others…”\n\nChoi Yeon-ha looked at Han Jin-sung with narrowed eyes.\n\n”Why, why are you looking at me?”\n\n”Never mind. Let’s not talk about it.”\n\nChoi Yeon-ha turned her gaze back to Jo Mi-hye.\n\n”Explain.”\n\n”Ah, no. It’s just today. My clothes didn’t dry properly.”\n\n”Didn’t dry?”\n\n”Yes. So…”\n\nChoi Yeon-ha gestured with her chin towards Jo Mi-hye.\n\n”Guide me.”\n\n”Yes?”\n\n”Guide me to the laundry room.”\n\nThen, she gestured to Kang Jin-ho as well.\n\n”Follow me.”\n\n”Yes.”\n\nKang Jin-ho, completely overwhelmed by her force, obediently followed behind Choi Yeon-ha.\n\n”What is this?”\n\nChoi Yeon-ha frowned as she looked at the clothes hanging on the lines across the laundry room.\n\nThe laundry room was great in the summer. It was well-ventilated, and the breeze made the laundry dry quickly. But in the winter, the breeze made the laundry freeze.\n\n”How do you dry the laundry like this? How have you been doing it?”\n\n”We move them to the room after they’re somewhat dry. Then they thaw.”\n\n”They’re still damp.”\n\n”It’s just a little…”\n\n”If you wear wet clothes, they’ll smell!”\n\n”I, I’ll be careful.”\n\nChoi Yeon-ha rolled her eyes. Even when she glared like that, she was still pretty, proving that her beauty was truly innate.\n\n”Why didn’t you tell me earlier! You should have told Unnie about this right away!”\n\n”I, I’m sorry…”\n\nJo Mi-hye kept apologizing, though she didn’t know what she was sorry for. One thing was certain: if you were with Choi Yeon-ha, you wouldn’t be mistreated anywhere.\n\n”Jin-ho-ssi, you brought your car, right?”\n\n”Yes? Ah, yes.”\n\n”Let’s go.”\n\n”Oh, where to?”\n\n”To the department store, or an appliance store.”\n\n”……Why there?”\n\nChoi Yeon-ha glanced around the laundry room and opened her mouth.\n\n”We need to renovate the laundry room. Take a picture.”\n\nWithout a word, Kang Jin-ho took out his phone and took a picture. He didn’t know what it would be used for, but it was better to do as he was told.\n\n”Mi-hye, you come too.”\n\n”Yes.”\n\nChoi Yeon-ha led the way with a power walk, followed by a powerless man and a subdued woman.\n\n”Ah, it’s a two-seater?”\n\nKang Jin-ho was flustered, but Han Jin-sung helped him.\n\n”The orphanage van should be outside. Take the keys.”\n\n”Really?”\n\n”I’ll go get them.”\n\nHan Jin-sung quickly ran outside.\n\nKang Jin-ho sighed and trudged outside after Choi Yeon-ha.\n\n’There are no customers.’\n\nLee Gyu-ha yawned as he looked at the entrance. Perhaps because it was a weekday, no customers were coming in. Well, it wasn’t just today. It felt like the number of customers had decreased a lot recently.\n\n’Everyone’s struggling.’\n\nHe understood, but if sales dropped like this, Lee Gyu-ha would also have a hard time. As a sales representative, he had to sell as many appliances as possible to increase sales. That way, he could at least get some incentives and have a happy end of the year.\n\nThat’s when it happened.\n\nBooooooom.\n\nA car was seen entering the parking lot.\n\n’Huh?’\n\nAn old van.\n\n’They seem to be here to buy something, but I shouldn’t expect too much.’\n\nIt wasn’t right to judge people by their cars, but if you worked in this industry, you couldn’t help but do it. People who came to buy something and people who came to browse had different vibes.\n\nThe three people who got out of the car looked around and then entered the entrance.\n\n’Huh?’\n\nLee Gyu-ha tilted his head.\n\nThe car and the people didn’t match. The people were too well-groomed to have gotten out of a commercial van.\n\nAs soon as the automatic door opened, Lee Gyu-ha bowed deeply.\n\n”Welcome. Are you looking for anything in particular?”\n\n”A dryer.”\n\n”Yes! The dryers are on the second floor…”\n\n”An air purifier.”\n\n”Yes. The air purifiers are also on the second floor…”\n\n”A drum washing machine.”\n\n”And a large dishwasher and a robot vacuum cleaner.”\n\nLee Gyu-ha’s eyes twitched slightly.\n\nBefore Lee Gyu-ha could react, the woman who had entered first snatched the phone from the man behind her, opened a photo, and held it out to Lee Gyu-ha.\n\n’Huh? This person…’\n\nIt was a face he had seen somewhere. The beauty that couldn’t be hidden even by sunglasses and a hat made him doubt his eyes…\n\n”We’re going to stack the drum washing machine and dryer here, filling it up. Do you have a suitable model?”\n\n……A VIP customer.\n\nWho they were didn’t matter! It didn’t matter at all.\n\n”Of course, we do! If we don’t have it, I’ll find it! Let’s go to the second floor! Sun-il, coffee here! Get some coffee! Now!”\n\n”Yes!”\n\n”Th, this way, customers. I’ll guide you.”\n\n”Yes.”\n\n”Ah, you’re buying a washing machine… does that mean you’ll put it next to the existing washing machine?”\n\n”No.”\n\nThe woman, Choi Yeon-ha, answered casually.\n\n”We’re going to dispose of all the old washing machines and fill it with new ones.”\n\n”Fill…”\n\n”Fill.”\n\nLee Gyu-ha’s mind was spinning rapidly.\n\nThat space, it would be eight… no, ten? Ten washing machines and dryers each?\n\nLee Gyu-ha’s eyes lit up.\n\n’Really?’\n\nHe glanced sideways and scanned the woman following him. Lee Gyu-ha’s eyes were on fire as he roughly estimated the price range of her handbag and clothes.\n\n”Oh, if you’re using it for a business, we have cost-effective models. The most cost-effective with large capacity…”\n\n”Excuse me.”\n\n”Yes, customer!”\n\n”Performance first.”\n\nChoi Yeon-ha said, slightly lifting her chin.\n\n”Forget about cost-effectiveness, recommend the best ones. If I don’t like them, I’ll go somewhere else.”\n\nLee Gyu-ha, 34 years old.\n\nIt was the moment when the briefing of a lifetime began.\n\nHello, this is Wolbaek.\n\nFirst of all, I would like to thank the readers who have read Demon Lord’s Rebirth.\n\nThanks to the readers’ love for Demon Lord’s Rebirth, we were able to come this far. I don’t think I can express this gratitude in any words.\n\nTo repay that gratitude and to resolve the pangs of conscience I felt while working on the recent orphanage episode, I have sponsored several dryers and cash to an orphanage near my home.\n\nI may not be able to sponsor as much as the main character, but I will try to continue to provide support and donations as much as my wallet allows.\n\nPlease understand this lacking author who couldn’t keep the old saying of not letting the left hand know what the right hand is doing and had to show off.\n\nThe weather has gotten much colder.\n\nI wish you all the best, dear readers.\n\nSincerely,\n\nWolbaek.