Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 801

“Do you have to sleep already?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Can’t we play a little more?”

“No, we can’t.”

“Why?”

Kang Jin-ho was at a loss for words.

He wasn’t usually one to be at a loss for words, and he didn’t think he was ever outmatched in a logical argument. However, the child’s questions, which hit him right where it hurt, were enough to fluster him.

“Because we have to wake up early.”

“Why do we have to wake up early?”

“So we can get ready and eat on time.”

“Can’t we just not eat?”

Sweat started to form on his forehead.

“So you can grow taller. So you can be healthy.”

“I don’t really like being tall.”

“…Is that so?”

Kang Jin-ho looked to the side with pleading eyes. The childcare teacher, who had been putting the children to bed, approached, hiding an uncontrollable smile, and picked up the child.

Watching the little devil move away from him, Kang Jin-ho sighed deeply.

‘It’s easier to fight.’

When dealing with someone who can’t be handled with physical force, Kang Jin-ho becomes infinitely weak.

“We’ll take it from here.”

“No. I’ll….”

“The kids won’t sleep because there’s someone to play with.”

“Ah…”

Kang Jin-ho glanced around. The kids under the blankets were all looking at Kang Jin-ho with sparkling eyes.

At this rate, they wouldn’t fall asleep even after an hour.

“Well, then…”

As Kang Jin-ho slowly got up from his spot, one of the children under the blanket threw it off and jumped up.

“Oppa!”

“Huh?”

“Oppa, are you going home?”

Kang Jin-ho’s face became awkward.

‘They didn’t want to play more.’

He thought they weren’t sleeping because they wanted to play more with him. But that wasn’t it. These kids were worried that Kang Jin-ho would leave while they were asleep.

Kang Jin-ho approached the child who had gotten up and stroked their head.

“No. I’m going to sleep here tonight.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’ll be here tomorrow too.”

The child nodded, and without being told, went back to their spot and pulled the blanket up.

“Then we have to sleep quickly. Let’s sleep!”

The children, all relieved, closed their eyes. Kang Jin-ho chuckled and went outside.

Thud.

Kang Jin-ho, who had closed the door and come out to the living room, looked back with a new expression.

Behind the closed door, the children would now be falling asleep.

‘It’s a little different from before.’

In the past, Kang Jin-ho had handled the children a little more easily. It wasn’t because he had any special skills. Because Kang Jin-ho was taciturn and emitted an aura that subtly suppressed people, the children followed his words well.

Because they were scared.

It wasn’t to the point where they would burst into tears, but the children were a little uncomfortable around Kang Jin-ho. It was similar to the feeling of being a little uneasy about approaching a muzzled dog, even though you know it can’t cause you any harm.

Children are sensitive to energy, so they must have been even more uncomfortable around Kang Jin-ho. Thanks to that, Kang Jin-ho was able to handle the children easily.

But now?

‘I’m going to die.’

When he holds a child, they pull at his face, hit his butt with their head from behind, grab his pant legs, and cry loudly.

Even if a million troops were shouting at the same time from all directions, it wouldn’t be this chaotic.

But that was also proof that the children now felt comfortable with Kang Jin-ho.

What is right is clear.

A pleasant smile appeared on Kang Jin-ho’s face.

If the children were still afraid of him like before, it might be a little easier, but he wouldn’t be able to feel the way he does now. There are things lost, but there are also things gained. That’s the way of the world.

Kang Jin-ho slowly walked out of the orphanage. Sitting on a bench far from the building, Kang Jin-ho raised his head and looked at the sky.

A black sky.

The sky, where no stars were visible, was looking down at him with gentle eyes.

Even while looking at a sky he no longer needed to long for, Kang Jin-ho always felt a sense of longing.

Perhaps it was only natural. He had longed for that sky for nearly a hundred years, and it had only been less than ten years since he had faced that sky again. It wasn’t enough time for the longing to disappear.

Click.

Kang Jin-ho took out a cigarette and slowly inhaled the smoke deep into his lungs.

The cigarette smoke that flowed from his mouth slowly spread into the world on the wind.

It felt like he had found an answer.

He didn’t have a clear idea of exactly what to do or how, but he felt more at ease than before he came to the orphanage.

‘Thank you, huh….’

Kang Jin-ho forcibly lowered the corners of his mouth that were curling up.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t in a good mood, but he was afraid that if he showed that he was happy to hear those words, he would become someone who had helped the orphanage all this time just to hear those words.

No matter how the children reacted to him, he had to remain consistent. The moment he gave the impression that he was expecting something in return, the children would start to worry about what they should do for him.

Even if there was no one around him right now, he had to control himself. There was a limit to hiding things. To deceive, you had to thoroughly deceive yourself.

Kang Jin-ho picked up his phone and dialed a number.

As he quietly watched the signal go through, the call was soon connected.

[It’s a bit cliché to start with, ‘Why are you calling me first?’]

What she just said also seems inappropriate for answering a call….

“Aren’t you asleep?”

[That’s not something the person who called should be saying? Of course, I’m not asleep. Don’t you know? The three elements of an actress are insomnia, nervous breakdown, and irritability.]

“…That’s a problem.”

[But I’m trying to be less irritable these days.]

“That’s a relief.”

[You shouldn’t just say it’s a relief, you should praise me.]

“…I praise you.”

[You’re hopeless.]

Choi Yeon-ha’s laughter could be heard over the phone. Listening to that laughter made him feel a little more at ease.

[So, what’s making you so gloomy?]

“Huh?”

[‘I can tell just by hearing your voice now’… I wish I could say that, but that’s not true… It’s obvious. You never call me first unless something’s wrong.]

Kang Jin-ho pursed his lips. It wasn’t wrong. Every time he called Choi Yeon-ha, there was always some kind of problem.

“That’s….”

[Ah, no need for excuses. I’m not upset. Like I said before, I can understand that much. And when I think about it, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.]

“Huh?”

[It’s a big deal to be the person someone looks for when they’re having a hard time or have a problem. Isn’t that almost like a mom? I never knew you thought of me that way. I’m touched, so touched.]

How far is she going to go?

No, maybe what she said was right. Kang Jin-ho doesn’t even consult his mother when he has a problem. When he needs to talk to someone, the people he looks for are Jo Gyu-min, Park Yu-min, and Choi Yeon-ha.

‘I’m an unfilial son.’

Thinking that made him feel a pang of guilt. But what could he do? He didn’t want to worry his mother.

“Anyway, I’m sorry.”

[Let’s not waste time with unnecessary apologies. So, what’s the matter this time? Come on, don’t worry and tell this older sister everything.]

Older sister, huh….

Kang Jin-ho chuckled. Maybe Choi Yeon-ha really thought of herself that way.

“That’s….”

Kang Jin-ho slowly explained the current situation.

[Are you an idiot?]

Kang Jin-ho’s world had expanded.

In terms of fame and the number of people who knew him, the current Kang Jin-ho was not as great as the Kang Jin-ho of the past. In the past, when he lived under the name of the Demonic Heavenly Sovereign, his title shook the entire Central Plains [a fictional region often used in martial arts stories].

It was to the point where people would say they knew the Demonic Sovereign even if they didn’t know the Emperor. In terms of the influence he had on the world, it was incomparable to that time.

But Kang Jin-ho believed that his world had become wider.

What was important wasn’t how many people knew him. It was how many people he wanted to know.

A name or reputation that was unilaterally conveyed was worthless. The width of the world changed depending on how many people could know each other and interact with each other.

In that sense, Kang Jin-ho’s life had definitely expanded. Countless people were interacting with him and talking to him. Compared to the past when the only person he talked to was Cheongma, it was no exaggeration to say that his world had expanded dozens of times.

But even in that wide world, Choi Yeon-ha was the only person who could say such things directly to Kang Jin-ho.

[Why are you worrying about that?]

“Huh?”

[Other people should be worrying about that.]

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t understand Choi Yeon-ha’s words. Why should other people worry about his problems?

[Listen carefully, Kang Jin-ho.]

“Yes.”

[I’m an actress.]

“Yes?”

Why is she saying that here?

He was a little confused, but Choi Yeon-ha continued before Kang Jin-ho’s confusion deepened.

[An actress is someone who acts. But they’re not just someone who acts. An actress is someone who creates a work. An actress’s acting exists to create a work. Right?]

“Yes.”

[A good work requires many elements to come together. The script, the filming, the director’s ability, even the promotion. But there are very few parts that an actress can be involved in. No matter how good I am at acting, if the director is an idiot, it will be a flop, and no matter how good the work is, if it’s not promoted properly, it will be a failure.]

He thought he knew what she meant. But what was so important about that?

[Then what do you think I should do to make a work successful?]

“Ah….”

Kang Jin-ho closed his mouth.

[Yes. Acting. That’s all I can do. What do you think would happen if I tried to succeed by interfering with what the director does, raising my voice, changing the storyboard because I didn’t like the camera angle, or barging into the promotion company and yelling at them to spend money?]

“…Would your hidden personality be revealed?”

[What’s wrong with my personality, you jerk!]

Ah, is that not it?

As Kang Jin-ho fumbled for words, Choi Yeon-ha’s excited voice came through.

[The work would be ruined. It would be a flop. There are many actors who have completely failed and disappeared because they acted like that. But it’s not necessarily because that person’s personality is bad. It’s because they try to interfere with everything they can, and they try to touch everything they can, and they get so caught up in it that they end up like that. It’s a bad deed born from good intentions.]

Kang Jin-ho nodded. He understood what she meant. If he saw a way to make things better, he would jump in without considering the other person’s territory. Because he thought the result would be better. That interference was what destroyed everything.

[The conclusion I’ve come to while being in this industry is this. Do what I have to do. I should act better. If the director is an idiot, I should act better so that people don’t have time to pay attention to the directing. So, instead of interfering with the directing, I should focus on my acting! Do you understand what I mean?]

“…Yes.”

[Kang Jin-ho.]

“Yes?”

[You’re a person.]

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes trembled slightly.