The Returnee’s Guild Must Grow Properly

It was fortunate there were no signs of monsters, but the absence of human traces was unsettling.

“…What kind of gate is this?”

The crimson sky above confirmed that they were inside the gate, but the emptiness around them felt eerie.

“Godslayer, release me at once!!”

At the demand, I plucked a few strands of hair and let the Demon King go. Brushing off the hairs stuck between my fingers, I spoke.

“Find Seoha. Where did she go in such a short time?”

“She is nearby.”

“How would you know that?”

“Because I am the Demon King.”

I shouldn’t have asked.

Trusting his word—because it was easier to just go along with it—I decided to follow. He must’ve used magic or something to track her.

Standing in the empty street, devoid of even the shadow of a monster, I called out as loudly as I could.

“Seoha! Bae Seoha!!”

Screeeech!!

What answered was not my friend’s voice but the screech of a monster. I exchanged glances with the Demon King.

Before entering the gate, we had already agreed on how to act if we encountered hunters. He would pose as a shocked and helpless civilian, while I would pretend to be another civilian trying to lead him to safety.

The piercing cries of the monster ceased. We slowly moved toward the direction of the sound.

“Godslayer, up there…”

“Quiet.”

I didn’t expect to encounter hunters this quickly. I just hoped Seoha was under their protection.

“You handled them just fine with the gun earlier!”

Seoha’s voice! She really was with a hunter. Relief swept over me, and without thinking, I abandoned the Demon King and sprinted forward.

“Oh, well, I forgot I only had one bullet left. Guess I’m doomed, huh?”

“Stop saying you’re doomed! Here, take this instead!”

“That’s for civilians only. I can’t use it.”

Peeking around the corner, I spotted a man shrugging casually. Beside him lay the corpse of a monster, its head caved in as if it had been smashed by something blunt.

“Then are you just going to keep bashing monsters with that thing?!”

“I’d love to clear them all out with an area spell, but you’d get caught in it. Then we’d really be doomed.”

“I said stop saying that!”

Following the sound of bickering, I saw Seoha standing right in front of a stranger.

“Seoha! Bae Seoha!!”

“Haun?”

Seoha’s eyes widened in disbelief. Overcome with emotion, I ran up to her and hugged her tightly.

“Bae Seoha, you idiot! I was so worried! If you get lost, stay put in one place! What are you thinking, wandering around like this?!”

“Haun? Is it really you?!”

As I smacked Seoha’s back in exasperation, a voice dripping with irritation interrupted the moment.

“Ah, what a touching reunion. So moving.”

“…?”

The man pointed toward the sky.

“Huh?”

I let out a dumbstruck sound and followed his gaze. The Demon King, now standing beside us, murmured in his usual solemn tone.

“I was going to mention earlier—there’s a giant pigeon flying around.”

“Sir, pigeons are not living creatures.”

“Then what do you call that?”

“Wow, your way of speaking is unique. Isn’t it obvious? It’s a mutated chicken-pigeon.”

That’s still a pigeon.

The man began counting on his fingers, muttering to himself.

“Two civilians, one historical drama enthusiast. Too much to cover up… Should I just erase their memories?”

“…?”

“If we lose that core monster now…”

“There is no solution.”

“Exactly, no solution. Oh, for—gah, that scared me.”

The man flinched at the sudden appearance of the Demon King and then grimaced as if trying to process what he was seeing.

| 9th Circle Archmage |: Oh my, the Demon King is actually… polite? lol
| Demon King |: The Demon King is not polite.

| 9th Circle Archmage |: •́ㅿ•̀
| 9th Circle Archmage |: Yes―! You’re absolutely the Demon King!!

The sudden appearance of the messages left me speechless.

“Do Haun,” the Demon King spoke instead.

“That magician is mocking me.”

“…!”

The man standing next to the Demon King widened his eyes so much that they looked like they might fall out of their sockets.

I glanced at the Demon King, then at the man, and then took a moment to reflect on my own life.

The man blinked rapidly, as if trying to deny reality.

| 9th Circle Archmage |: W-where are you, Demon King?

“Do Haun,” the Demon King repeated.

“Yeah?”

“What are the coordinates of this place?”

The man—the so-called archmage—raised both hands and clamped them over his mouth as if to stifle a scream.

I flashed him a wide, mocking grin and sent a message.

| Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master) |: Right in front of you, dumbass.

A moment of silence followed.

In that time, the archmage and I exchanged a glance.

You’re my guild master?
Yeah, I’m your guild master.

With that brief exchange, the archmage turned and bolted, abandoning any attempt at maintaining composure. He must’ve been truly flustered—forgetting he could use magic, he ran on foot instead.

Fine by me.

[Authority: “Path of the Martyr” activated.]

I unleashed the power of my authority, slowing the archmage’s movements to a crawl. Satisfied with the results, I messaged the Demon King.

| Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master) |: Demon King, cover Seoha’s eyes.

“What’s happening? Why is she acting like that?!”

The Demon King clumsily used both hands to block Seoha’s vision.

“…”

| Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master) |: Damn it! Use magic!!

“Oh.”

With a dumbfounded noise, the Demon King withdrew his hands, and Seoha immediately began fumbling around, shouting.

“Haun! Where are you?! I can’t see anything all of a sudden!”

“Neither can I.”

“Don’t lie! If you really couldn’t see, you wouldn’t sound so cheerful!”

I coughed awkwardly, trying to suppress my glee at the thought of catching the snail-paced archmage. Handing Seoha off to the Demon King, I turned to focus on my target.

Seoha, meanwhile, blindly felt the Demon King’s face.

“Haun!! Is that you? Did you grow this much?”

“It is I.”

“Aaaahhh!!”

“…!!”

Seoha screamed and shoved the Demon King away. Of course, the Demon King didn’t budge an inch, but he seemed genuinely startled.

“Do Haun! She pushed me!!” the Demon King protested, looking affronted.

“I know.”

“Do Haun!!”

“Shut up!!”

| Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master) |: I’ll go catch that idiot. You keep an eye on Seoha!

Wrinkles formed on the Demon King’s otherwise smooth face, but I ignored him and calmly made my way toward the archmage.

He was gasping for air, his legs barely moving as though weighed down by invisible chains.

“Why… why is my body so heavy…?!”

“Right? Feels like carrying the world, doesn’t it?”

“Gaaahhh!!”

The archmage let out an ear-splitting scream and collapsed, his legs completely giving out.

What a sight.

Now, let’s see… Where’s that emoji this guy always liked to send?

| Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master) |: (૭ ᐕ)૭??

“Gaaahhh!!”

The archmage turned pale, as if he’d seen a ghost. His expression was so priceless, I couldn’t help but crouch down and grin at him.

“Hey, 9th Circle Archmage.”

“Hiik…!”

He pressed his lips together, trembling like a leaf. Was this guy really a 9th Circle Archmage?

Vwoooom—

Suddenly, crimson magic circles began forming in multiple places. The trembling act vanished, replaced by a crooked grin.

Ah, there it was—the face of the sneaky mage I remembered.

“…Hello, Guild Master.”

His greeting was almost taunting. I smiled, narrowed my eyes, and moved the chains I’d conjured to bind him.

“Urk…!!”

The chains wrapped around him in an instant, binding his entire body. The magic circles he had summoned disintegrated into nothing as he widened his eyes in shock.

Before he could react, I hoisted him upside-down into the air.

Realizing what was happening, he began thrashing about.

“W-wait, stop!! Stop, Guild Master! This isn’t fair!!”

“What’s not fair about it?”

I responded indifferently, shrugging my shoulders.

“Guild Master! What about guild member benefits?! Don’t we deserve some benefits?!”

“The guild master doesn’t even have benefits. Why would the guild members?”

“…!!”

I gave him a mocking smile before heading back toward the Demon King and Seoha.

Seoha was crouched beside the Demon King, puffing her cheeks in frustration. She must’ve been upset that communicating with him was utterly impossible.

I understood that feeling all too well.

“Seoha.”

“Haun! It’s you, right? It’s really you?!”

“Yes, it’s me.”

“Where were you?! Don’t leave me alone with him! He’s kind of weird!”

She sprang to her feet and flung her arms around me. I patted her back gently.

“Sorry, sorry. My bad.”

“How rude. I am not weird.”

“See? He’s weird!”

At her exasperated yell, I let out an awkward laugh.

“Anyway, Do Haun.”

| Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master) |: Message me.

| Pr. Demon King |: Who is that fool over there?

The Demon King gestured toward the archmage, still dangling in midair. I glanced at him and typed a reply with a smirk.

| Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master) |: The mage who mocked you.

“!!”

The Demon King’s eyes widened before he shouted furiously.

“So it’s you!!”

“…!!”

Whoa, chill. For a second, I thought he was going to say, Who dares mock me?! I nearly mistook him for a historical figure reincarnated on the spot.

“How dare you mock me, the Demon King!!”

| Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master) |: Demon King, calm down…!

Seoha, jumping in confusion, shouted, “Not only is he weird, now he’s gone crazy too!”

“Demon King! Listen, it wasn’t intentional—really!”

“Demon King? That voice sounds like that office-worker hunter guy!”

Office-worker hunter? Who’s that now?

This was spiraling out of control. I couldn’t leave Seoha to stand amidst this chaos.

As Seoha asked who he was, whether I’d also met him while watching a play, I avoided answering and activated my authority.

[Authority: “Rest” activated.]

“Haun! That person is…!”

Seoha trailed off, falling asleep on the spot.

Sorry, Seoha. You’ll thank me later.