Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1233

The subtle aroma of coffee wafted through the air, mingling with the morning sunlight that streamed onto the table.

It was still early, before the usual rush of customers began.

Sung Joo-chan was diligently wiping down the tables and fixtures. To quickly master tasks he wasn’t yet accustomed to, he knew he had to work hard.

Sweat beaded on his forehead.

‘This is strange.’

He had endured enough physical hardship to be thoroughly weary of it. Wiping down fixtures and tables, and managing the coffee machine, was nothing compared to the rigorous training he had undergone in the martial arts world.

Yet, he was still sweating.

It seemed his body distinguished between training and labor. Or perhaps he hadn’t yet adjusted to moving his body without relying on his inner energy [a concept of internal power used in martial arts].

“Hoo!”

After wiping the last table, Sung Joo-chan surveyed the cafe.

Seeing the tables gleaming made him feel a little more at ease.

‘I need to keep working hard.’

Just then, the door chimed open.

“Welcome!”

Sung Joo-chan greeted loudly, but his voice trailed off when he saw the customer who had entered.

The person who came in also looked at him with an awkward expression.

“…You’re here?”

“Yeah.”

“Have a seat.”

Kim Won-hyuk nodded and sat at one of the tables.

“What would you like to drink? I’m not very skilled yet, but I can still make something decent.”

“No. I need to pay.”

“It’s okay. No need to pay.”

“No, I think I’m the first customer, and they say if the first customer is free, the day will be unlucky.”

“Nonsense.”

Sung Joo-chan refused, but Kim Won-hyuk insisted on going to the counter to pay for his drink. One for himself, and one for Sung Joo-chan.

Then, instead of returning to his seat, he watched Sung Joo-chan make the coffee.

He didn’t know much about coffee, so he couldn’t judge his skill, but to his untrained eye, Sung Joo-chan seemed quite adept. Sung Joo-chan, carrying two cups of coffee, came to the table and sat down. Kim Won-hyuk sat opposite him.

“It doesn’t look like a new skill. Were you always interested in this?”

“Well… a long time ago, when getting a barista license was all the rage, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to learn, so I got one. But… it was so long ago that it feels like I’m starting all over again.”

Sung Joo-chan scratched the back of his head.

“For someone who says that, you’ve set up a pretty decent cafe.”

“No, I took it over. It was a place run by an acquaintance, but he was expanding and moving, so I took over his old cafe. It seemed better than starting from scratch.”

“Is business good?”

“I don’t know.”

Sung Joo-chan sighed.

“I think I’m making enough to get by, but they say the economy is really bad these days… They say it’s going to get worse next year… Well, I’ll have to try to hold on.”

Kim Won-hyuk smiled slightly.

These were everyday conversations for others, but for them, they were conversations they had never had before. Talk about the economy, money… It made them realize how detached they had been from the world while living as martial artists.

“Are you on leave today? Coming here so early.”

“Yeah, I took leave. I thought I should stop by.”

“How did you know I was working here?”

“If I set my mind to it, there’s nothing I can’t find out.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

A brief silence fell between them.

Kim Won-hyuk, who had been fiddling with his coffee cup, sighed and lowered his head slightly.

“I’m sorry.”

“…Huh? What for?”

“For talking nonsense when I didn’t know anything.”

“No, it was true, though.”

“No.”

Kim Won-hyuk shook his head.

“About aptitude and inclinations, saying you weren’t suited to be a martial artist… I shouldn’t have said those things so carelessly. It’s not that you were strange, it’s that I was reckless.”

“Won-hyuk.”

“I only realized after going to the battlefield. What you were worried about, why you were so burdened… To be honest, I never really worried about those things. That’s why I could be so confident. If I had been as cautious as you back then, I might have left the Assembly too.”

Sung Joo-chan sipped his coffee without saying anything.

“I’m sorry for talking without knowing anything. I thought I should apologize.”

Sung Joo-chan shook his head.

“It’s not something you need to apologize for.”

“Still…”

“It’s all true.”

Sung Joo-chan scratched his head, his face showing awkwardness.

“Even if you hadn’t said those things back then, I would have ended up choosing the same path. It was better that you said it then. If not, I would have worried even more. I’m grateful.”

“Joo-chan.”

“I’m serious.”

Sung Joo-chan shrugged.

“Thanks to you, I was able to start anew without being too late, so I can say I’m lucky. It’s much better than finding out I’m not suited to be a martial artist twenty years later, right?”

Kim Won-hyuk bit his lip.

“Don’t you think about trying again?”

“It wasn’t just you who was scared. I was scared too. But somehow, I managed to hold on. So you too…”

“But you went all the way there.”

Sung Joo-chan’s voice trembled slightly.

“But I couldn’t even stand on the battlefield. You said it, those who survive as martial artists are those kinds of people. Now I really agree with that. Someone like me can’t succeed as a martial artist.”

Sung Joo-chan smiled faintly.

“So, you have to succeed. I’ll succeed here with my cafe.”

Kim Won-hyuk, who was about to say something more, looked at Sung Joo-chan’s eyes and sighed softly.

He was resolute.

His tone was gentle, but Sung Joo-chan seemed to have already made up his mind. Besides, it wouldn’t make sense to turn back now.

“I was talking nonsense.”

“No, I’m glad you came. I was thinking of contacting you since I opened, but I didn’t know how things were going on your end, so it wasn’t easy to reach out.”

“I thought you were disappointed in me and that’s why you didn’t contact me.”

“What do you take me for, some petty person?”

Sung Joo-chan smiled brightly.

“And if possible, I wanted to contact you after I improved my skills. So I wouldn’t be embarrassed about running a cafe.”

“It’s delicious?”

“…It’s not my skill, it’s the quality of the beans.”

“What nonsense. Does that mean every cafe that uses good beans succeeds?”

“It’s true…”

Sung Joo-chan chuckled softly.

Watching him, Kim Won-hyuk couldn’t help but smile.

Clink.

Just then, the door opened and a customer came in.

“Welcome!”

Sung Joo-chan greeted loudly and headed to the counter. After taking the order, Sung Joo-chan handed over the buzzer with a bright smile and started making the drinks.

Kim Won-hyuk quietly watched the scene.

He could feel the vitality in Sung Joo-chan’s demeanor. He seemed more energetic and happy than when they were training together at the Assembly.

‘The path of a martial artist isn’t everything.’

That’s what they had been taught since they were young.

Train and train to become a great martial artist.

They had never even considered other paths. They had believed that becoming stronger through repeated training was the only way to guarantee a successful life.

Looking back, that couldn’t be true.

The sound of steam hissing tickled his ears.

Woo-oong.

The buzzer rang, and one of the people sitting got up to get their coffee.

“Syrup?”

“Would you like some?”

“Hey, owner. You have no sense. I asked for it to be sweet.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll add it right away.”

“It’s okay. I’ll add it myself.”

Sung Joo-chan bowed deeply to the people taking their coffee. Then, he came out from behind the counter and sat across from Kim Won-hyuk again.

“It doesn’t seem like you have many customers?”

“It’s early. There are a lot of office workers here, so it gets busy from lunchtime.”

“Don’t people usually grab a cup on their way to work?”

“This place is on the opposite side of the station, so there are hardly any customers who grab a cup on their way to work.”

“Oh, is that so?”

He was just throwing out words without knowing anything.

Because it was awkward.

He didn’t know how to support a friend who was now on a different path.

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

“…Huh?”

“Frankly, what’s harder than struggling to train at the Assembly?”

“Hey, man. How can you say that? There, you get a salary just for surviving. Here, you could end up not making any money and just suffering.”

“That’s how other people live.”

Sung Joo-chan smiled.

“I’ve learned some things since coming out here. There are definitely some comfortable aspects to getting a salary at the Assembly. I immediately felt how much the Clan Leader had protected us. But to keep enjoying that, I had to be prepared for something. I failed there.”

“Man, what are you saying…”

“But it’s not like I regret it or anything. Now I just have to live in society as an ordinary person. To be honest, I’m a little scared… but I think I can do well. I didn’t know this, but there’s a community of people who left the Assembly, and they’re trying to make a living together, so I think I’ll be okay.”

Kim Won-hyuk nodded silently.

Their paths were different now.

Now, all he could do was believe in and support his friend who was walking a different path.

“I’ll go.”

“Already?”

“I’ve seen that you’re doing well. What good would it do to sit here? I’d rather have a drink with you after you close.”

“Okay, then.”

Kim Won-hyuk got up from his seat.

Sung Joo-chan came to the entrance to see Kim Won-hyuk off.

“Then, I’ll go.”

“Okay, see you next time. You do well at the Assembly too.”

“…Is this the time to worry about me, man?”

“Don’t worry about me. It’s not like I can’t make a living.”

“Tsk.”

Kim Won-hyuk, who had been looking at Sung Joo-chan, turned and walked away. Sung Joo-chan watched Kim Won-hyuk’s back for a while before letting out a soft sigh.

‘It’s not easy.’

Whether it’s that side or this side.

Living is not easy anywhere.

Sung Joo-chan, who had closed the door and entered the cafe, widened his eyes slightly.

“Sir!”

Sung Joo-chan’s voice was urgent.

“You can’t smoke here.”

“Hey, there are no customers. I’ll finish quickly, so please let it slide.”

“Smoking is prohibited in the store. Please put it out right now.”

“Ah, please let it slide. You’re not flexible.”

“Sir!”

“Okay, okay, I’ll put it out. But…”