Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1734

“Did you wake up?”

“Yes.”

“That’s unusual. You’re actually sleeping in.”

“I know, right?”

Kang Jin-ho chuckled, as if he found it strange himself.

“Well, it’s good for a person to get enough sleep. Sometimes, I think you’re awake 24 hours a day, which is weird.”

“…No way.”

*You’re very perceptive.*

*I haven’t been going out of my room much.*

“Hurry up and wash, then let’s eat.”

“Did you cook? Why do you keep doing this? We can just eat on our own…”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Kang Jin-ho flinched under Baek Hyun-jung’s sharp gaze.

“If you’re doing it, why are you making me uncomfortable? If you don’t want to eat, don’t. I’ll eat it.”

“I-I’ll eat it.”

“Then go wash up quickly.”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho, who had gained nothing from his unnecessary comment, went into the bathroom.

“Hmm…”

Looking in the mirror, Kang Jin-ho slightly narrowed his brow.

*‘Did my beard grow a bit?’*

*I guess this body is aging too. Until recently, I didn’t grow much of a beard, but now, a faint stubble is visible after just a few days.*

Kang Jin-ho lightly grazed his jaw with his fingernail. A sharper energy than a razor cleanly shaved off the stubble.

After confirming that he was clean-shaven, Kang Jin-ho turned on the shower and began to wash.

*Whoosh.*

Cold water poured over his body, but Kang Jin-ho didn’t feel particularly cold.

*‘This isn’t necessarily a good thing either.’*

He used to think that as his body strengthened, he would be free from discomfort. But now, his thoughts had changed.

Heat and cold are things that humans should naturally feel. To be free from such sensations without intending to is no different from distancing oneself from humanity.

*Whoosh.*

Kang Jin-ho quietly accepted the sensation of the water falling on his face.

*I probably won’t be able to feel this for a while.*

*‘The food will get cold.’*

Kang Jin-ho quickly began to wash his body.

*Arrr-rrrr-rrrr.*

*Eee-rrrr-rrrr!*

Kang Jin-ho looked at the small creature baring its teeth at him.

*‘Why is this one like this?’*

They say a newborn pup doesn’t know the fear of a tiger, but that’s just a saying. In reality, even a newborn pup knows to fear a tiger. But why does this one, who can see and smell, look down on Kang Jin-ho?

Since his death, Kang Jin-ho had never been treated like this by any living creature in the world, so he couldn’t help but feel bewildered by the current situation.

“Um…”

*Arrr-rrrr-rrrr!*

Kang Jin-ho crouched down and cautiously extended his hand.

*‘Maybe it’s because we’re not close yet…’*

*Crunch! Crunch!*

Dong-dong chewed on Kang Jin-ho’s finger a couple of times, then backed away, tilting its head as if something was wrong.

“Is it too hard?”

*Oh, sorry. It’s because I’m unnecessarily tough.*

*Arrr-rrrr-rrrr!*

Kang Jin-ho shook his head and stood up. It seemed like it would take some time to get close to this puppy.

Kang Jin-ho sighed and walked to the kitchen. Of course, Dong-dong ran up and bit his leg, but he didn’t need to pay much attention to that.

“You’re late, you human!”

Kang Jin-ho stared blankly at Kang Eun-young. She had already popped out and was setting out the side dishes.

“Mom is cooking! You should be helping, not just standing there!”

“Wipe the sleep from your eyes.”

“It’s okay. No one’s looking.”

“I’m looking.”

“So?”

“…Never mind.”

Kang Jin-ho shook his head.

*There was a time…*

*There was a time when that rough thing was cute. Now, I can’t even remember it, but in the distant past, I felt that way.*

If the current Kang Jin-ho were to meet the Kang Jin-ho of that time, he would smack him on the back of the head. Or take him to an ophthalmologist.

“Since I don’t have to go to work like an older brother, I don’t need to wash up as soon as I wake up! Aren’t you jealous?”

“No.”

*I’m not jealous of that either, little sister.*

“But you’ve gained weight lately.”

“Is this guy crazy! Why are you picking a fight from the morning?”

As Kang Jin-ho and Kang Eun-young began to bicker, the door to the master bedroom opened, and Kang Yu-hwan walked out.

“Hmm, it’s lively as always. A happy family is always full of energy in the morning.”

“They’re fighting!”

“They’re fighting.”

“That’s good too.”

Kang Yu-hwan smiled contentedly.

Dong-dong, who had been biting Kang Jin-ho’s leg, ran to Kang Yu-hwan and wagged its tail.

“That’s right, our youngest.”

Kang Yu-hwan picked up Dong-dong.

“A happy home always has a dog. A good and cute one.”

*Arrr-rrrr-rrrr!*

“…And they say dogs can recognize bad people. What have you been up to lately?”

“…Nothing.”

Kang Yu-hwan looked at Kang Jin-ho with suspicious eyes.

“That’s strange?”

A slight sweat broke out on Kang Jin-ho’s back.

*It’s definitely not a good thing, not a good thing.*

“Everyone, sit down. The food is ready.”

“Yes, sir.”

Kang Yu-hwan put Dong-dong down on the floor and sat at the table.

Then, he looked at the table with a satisfied smile.

“It’s a feast from the morning. Jin-ho, if possible, go to work a little later. I can only eat these side dishes when you’re here…”

“If you want to even pick up a spoon, be quiet?”

“…I always eat well, Jin-ho.”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled and picked up his chopsticks. Then, just as he was about to grab the ham in front of him.

“This is well-cooked.”

Kang Yu-hwan snatched the ham that Kang Jin-ho was about to eat and took it under the table. Dong-dong ran up and quickly ate the ham.

“…They say you shouldn’t give dogs human food. It’s bad for their health.”

“Is ham good for humans?”

“From now on, should we take out all the salt when we eat and try a clean raw diet?”

“…No, thank you.”

Kang Yu-hwan smiled slyly.

“Your dad used to raise a dog.”

“Huh?”

“It was before you were born. Back then, I was quite interested in that kind of thing, so I didn’t feed it any human food and raised it healthy. It lived a long life.”

“Ah…”

“But it eventually died before you were born. Do you know what I thought then?”

“…I don’t know.”

“If that was going to happen, I should have let it eat whatever it wanted and play as much as it wanted. What’s so important about living a few more years that I raised it so boringly?”

Kang Yu-hwan picked up another piece of ham and threw it to Dong-dong.

“Whether it’s a person or a dog, what’s important is being happy now. If you look too far ahead, you’ll miss the happiness right in front of you.”

Kang Jin-ho slowly nodded.

*It’s nothing special, but it feels like it hits home.*

“What nonsense are you talking about? Mom raised it all, what did you do? You didn’t even feed it properly?”

“…Huh?”

Kang Jin-ho’s head snapped towards Kang Yu-hwan.

“C-cough. No, I did take it for walks sometimes.”

“It was a dog you raised without a leash, what walks are you talking about? You just gave it what you wanted and made up nonsense.”

“Hehehe. Dong-dong, let’s eat ham.”

Kang Jin-ho trembled with betrayal. *I was a little touched!*

“Let’s eat. Huh? Food?”

“If you’re going to feed the dog at the table, at least give it some rice!”

Kang Yu-hwan looked at Kang Jin-ho as if asking for help, but this time, Kang Jin-ho cleanly ignored Kang Yu-hwan’s gaze.

*He needs to be scolded, scolded.*

“Hurry up and eat. Ignore your father’s nonsense.”

“I am.”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled lightly and picked up his spoon.

*However…*

*‘Is it possible to get close by giving it ham?’*

*Let’s try it once…*

*Crunch.*

*Ah, no, it’s not.*

*It seems like we’re not compatible.*

Kang Jin-ho shook his head and opened his mouth.

“By the way, Eun-young, aren’t you going out today?”

“I don’t have any plans today.”

“Huh? Isn’t today Yu-min’s day off? Aren’t you going on a date?”

Kang Eun-young looked at Kang Jin-ho with a pale face.

“…Huh?”

“Date?”

Baek Hyun-jung’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Why would Yu-min and Eun-young be dating? Are you two going out?”

Kang Jin-ho glanced at Kang Eun-young. Kang Eun-young was glaring at Kang Jin-ho as if she wanted to kill him.

“…Didn’t I tell you?”

Looking at Kang Eun-young’s clenched teeth, it seemed like he didn’t need to hear the answer. Realizing that he had made a mistake, Kang Jin-ho quietly turned his gaze away.

*‘You could have just said it, why make it weird?’*

“Eun-young?”

“W-we’re not exactly… uh… yes.”

Kang Eun-young, who was trying to ramble, eventually nodded.

“Jin-ho, you knew beforehand?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you tell Mom? Are you excluding me?”

“…Mom, where did you learn those words?”

Baek Hyun-jung bit her lip and glared at Kang Eun-young.

“You little brat?”

“No, Mom. I was going to tell you, but it was a bit…”

Kang Eun-young glanced at Kang Jin-ho as if asking for help, but Kang Jin-ho didn’t have anything to say either.

*You should have said it beforehand.*

“Yu-min is off today?”

“Yes.”

“Jin-ho, contact Yu-min and tell him to come eat if he’s not busy. It’s been a while since we’ve seen Yu-min, let’s eat together.”

“I can’t come home today.”

“Why not? We don’t need you.”

“…Yes.”

Baek Hyun-jung glared at Kang Eun-young a couple of times and picked up her spoon.

“I was worried that this brat would get some crazy idea from being a celebrity and bring home some gigolo… but it’s a relief that it’s Yu-min.”

“Hey, a relief?”

Kang Yu-hwan said firmly.

“You have to be honest. Where would you find someone like Yu-min? It’s something you can’t even dream of. There’s no one like him these days.”

Kang Yu-hwan slightly clenched his fist.

“I support our daughter. Fighting!”

“Hehe.”

“Are you laughing?”

Kang Eun-young tucked her head in as Baek Hyun-jung glared at her.

“Anyway, let’s see Yu-min once. We have to make a good impression since he’s seeing our daughter who’s not even human.”

“Mom, what’s wrong with me!”

“You’re my daughter that I gave birth to, so at least I can look at you…”

“Mom!”

Baek Hyun-jung clicked her tongue.

Kang Jin-ho smiled faintly as he watched them.

Kang Jin-ho knew why Kang Eun-young hadn’t said anything.

*She must have been scared.*

Park Yu-min has a limp. How many parents would want their daughter to date someone with a disability?

Even if they eventually understand, the words exchanged in the process would have been scary. But Kang Yu-hwan and Baek Hyun-jung were acting like it was nothing.

“So Jin-ho, when are you coming back?”

“Uh, I…”

Kang Jin-ho scratched his head.

“I don’t think I can come home for a few days.”

“Again?”

“Yes.”

“How long will it take this time?”

Kang Jin-ho seemed to hesitate for a moment before opening his mouth.

“It might take a while this time. I have to go on a business trip to China, and I have to see the situation there.”

“China?”

“Yes.”

Kang Yu-hwan chuckled.

“Our son is going global now. That’s what a man should do.”

“Says the person who’s never been overseas!”

“…That’s why he has to go.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled faintly.

*When this is over, I should take my parents on a trip overseas.*

*If this goes well.*

*‘It’s peaceful.’*

*An ordinary life.*

*That’s why it’s more dazzling.*

*That time is ending now.*

*And Kang Jin-ho will return here. To regain this ordinary life.*