NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 8
I swiftly turned my body.
What the hell? Why is the Demon King here?
| Demon King |: “The Godslayer was a good fellow.”
She’s not dead! She’s alive and well right next to you, so stop sending her to weird places!
Just as I was considering yanking out that long hair from its roots, a distinct knock-knock on the table interrupted my thoughts.
“Whoa, it’s the servant boy.”
Do Hain’s eyebrow twitched as he turned to glare at the source of the voice.
Servant boy.
That was the nickname the public had given him. Apparently, even Do Hain’s fan club liked to call him “the farmhand.”
Pulling my hat lower over my face, I muttered under my breath.
“You should’ve at least worn sunglasses.”
“Why would I, on such a fine day?”
“What do you mean, why? Don’t you feel all those stares coming your way?”
Do Hain shrugged his shoulders and casually sat down in front of me. I had been about to stand up, but his sudden action left me awkwardly halfway up. Looking down at him, I asked,
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? I’m waiting for the coffee to come out.”
“What about guild work? Isn’t Haun busy right now?”
“Busy, yeah. But…”
Do Hain trailed off, fiddling with the vibrating pager in his hand. I tilted my head and hesitated before sitting back down.
“Do Haun.”
“Yeah?”
“…Never mind, forget it.”
“Why are you starting to say something and then stopping? If you’re going to talk, say it properly.”
“Where were you last night?”
I cursed my own loose lips inwardly, mentally smacking myself. But outwardly, I plastered on a bright smile.
Last night? I was enthusiastically clearing the Outbreaker Dungeon.
Of course, there was no way I could say that outright.
“I was in my room.”
“You said you were going out for drinks with Seoha.”
“Well, you passed out so hard that I decided against it. Leaving behind a sick person didn’t sit well with my conscience.”
“Conscience, my foot.”
At his grumbling tone, I gave him a benevolent smile. He wasn’t wrong; my conscience had grown rusty ages ago.
The pager in Do Hain’s hand buzzed.
“I’ll grab the coffee.”
“Get some cookies while you’re at it.”
“Why cookies?”
“The coffee’s too bitter.”
“Then why do you keep drinking coffee you can’t even handle?!”
Do Hain shouted as he stomped off, making quite the racket as he descended the stairs.
Geez, such a temper.
“Miss.”
“…?”
Me? Was he talking to me? Just ignore it.
“I’m calling you.”
“Cough!”
Caught off guard, I ended up choking on my Americano. As I coughed and covered my mouth, I glanced at the Demon King’s nephew.
“Uh, me? Were you calling me?”
“Yes.”
“Why would the little one be calling for me…?”
“Because you look like the angel lady I know!”
“…”
They say children’s eyes never lie.
Wait, no. In this case, I did deceive him, but now things were taking a weird turn.
“Your Highness, are you saying this lady resembles the angel you often speak of?”
“Yes!”
The Demon King stared at me intently. His piercing gaze made me avert my eyes, and I awkwardly forced a smile.
“The angel doesn’t look like that.”
Excuse me?
A wave of some indescribable emotion surged within me. Fortunately, before I could march over and yank out the Demon King’s hair, Do Hain returned.
“Do Haun, what are you doing?”
“Huh? Oh… the kid started talking to me.”
“Kid?”
Do Hain placed the coffee cup on the table and glanced toward the neighboring table.
“Hello.”
“Oh, hi.”
The little boy greeted warmly, his manners impeccable. Do Hain awkwardly waved back before leaning toward me to whisper.
“Do you know that kid?”
“No, never seen him before.”
I answered firmly and turned my gaze away from the neighboring table entirely.
Biting into one of the cookies Do Hain had brought, I quickly sent a private message.
Recipient: |Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master)|
Sender: |Pr. Demon King|
Demon King: ?
Demon King: Godslayer, are you alive?
…
I’m sitting right next to you, alive and well, eating cookies.
Recipient: |Pr. Demon King|
Godslayer: Can you and the kid move somewhere else? I can’t eat properly because it’s distracting.
The Demon King’s nephew kept staring at me with eyes full of curiosity. If this kept up, I was going to lose my appetite.
Despite clearly having read my message, the Demon King didn’t reply. Just as I was about to try sending another one, I felt a light tap-tap on my shoulder.
Turning my head toward the touch…
“Are you the Godslayer?!”
What the…
The cookie I was chewing fell right out of my mouth.
What did I just hear?
For a moment, it felt like time had stopped.
“How did I fail to recognize you! But more importantly, Godslayer, why are you so small? Are you saying you killed a god with such a tiny body?”
“…”
No, time needs to stop. Right now.
Across from me, Do Hain stared at the Demon King’s nephew as if he were utterly insane.
And honestly, I felt the same.
Recipient: |Pr. Demon King|
Godslayer: YOU CRAZY IDIOT!! Why are you acknowledging me?! WHY?!
“Godslayer, why are you sending messages when we’re literally looking at each other?”
“…”
Demon King! Read the room for once!
I desperately wanted to yank out his long hair by the roots while screaming.
Thankfully, a savior appeared.
“Uncle, is the angel lady someone you know?”
“This lady doesn’t resemble the angel.”
“Then what?”
“She’s the Godslayer.”
The savior tilted his head in confusion.
I buried my face in my hands. Sending private messages to the Demon King was a terrible mistake.
“Do Haun.”
“Uh, yeah?!”
“Do you know them?”
“No!!”
“You do know us.”
The sweet, melodious voice left me dumbfounded. Demon King, have you been stripped of all sense?
Do Hain frowned at the Demon King’s statement and asked,
“The person next to you says they don’t know you, though?”
“I really don’t know him!”
“You definitely know us.”
Demon King! Do you have a vendetta against me?! What is this nonsense?!
On the verge of tears, I whispered to Do Hain,
“I really don’t know him. He’s just a delusional fan.”
“!!”
Of course, the Demon King overheard.
What? Why are you looking at me with such a wounded expression?
Do Hain glared at the Demon King, as if to say he’d subdue him if he pulled anything funny.
Great, let’s ride this wave and get out of here.
Recipient: |Pr. Northern Grand Duke|
Godslayer: It’s over! OVER!!! Because of you, I just had to go on a tour of the royal tombs!!!
Right on cue, the Northern Grand Duke arrived. A voice full of suppressed emotion echoed alongside him.
“Godslayer! How could you call me a delusional fan?! I am the Demon King!!!”
A Lunatic.
I ignored the nonsense and replied to the Northern Grand Duke.
Recipient: |Pr. Northern Grand Duke|
Godslayer: 37°540′, 127°070′
Northern Grand Duke: ?
Northern Grand Duke: What’s this??
Godslayer: Just come over.
Northern Grand Duke: I barely scraped by in geography; I don’t know these coordinates!!
Godslayer: Just teleport here!
As a 5th Circle Mage, teleportation wasn’t effortless but well within the Grand Duke’s capabilities. Sure enough, his response came quickly.
Northern Grand Duke: I’m here. Where are you?
Godslayer: Second floor.
Ignoring the noisy sobs beside me, I stood up. Do Hain glanced at the Demon King, then stood up to follow me.
On the stairs, a man came into view. He spotted me and began to speak, his expression sour.
Godslayer: The guy in front of me is Haun’s second-in-command.
The Grand Duke immediately shut his mouth. Instead, he fixed me with a murderous glare. Do Hain must have sensed it, too.
“Do Haun, what’s your relationship with him?”
“What do you mean, relationship?”
“He’s staring at you like he wants to kill you.”
While Do Hain’s attention was on the Grand Duke, I tapped the Demon King on the shoulder and sent another message.
Godslayer: Go play with the Grand Duke.
“The Grand Duke? You mean the Northern Grand Duke?”
Sigh. Damn it.
I swallowed the curse rising in my throat and grabbed Do Hain’s arm, pulling him along.
“Hurry, let’s go.”
“Godslayer! Where are you going? Who is this Northern Grand Duke you speak of?”
Hearing the Demon King’s words, the Grand Duke, who had been glaring at me, flinched in surprise.
In the midst of all this chaos, the Demon King’s nephew, busy munching on cake, waved at me.
“Angel lady, are you leaving?”
“Yes, I’m leaving.”
“Goodbye!”
“Yeah, take care.”
The boy tilted his head curiously, then broke into a bright smile. I returned a small smile before walking past the Grand Duke, mouthing a silent Good luck.
The Grand Duke looked at me, aghast.
Sorry, Grand Duke. I’m summoning you and ending my turn here.
Godslayer: The Northern Grand Duke is waiting by the stairs, King.
“You are the Northern Grand Duke?!”
“!!”
The Demon King’s voice rang out sharply, causing Do Hain to stop in his tracks and look back. I urged him forward, saying,
“‘Godslayer’ or whatever—it’s just another crazy tactic from a delusional fan.”
“Even dragging a kid into it?”
“What kind of cult wouldn’t?”
“Society’s doomed.”
Do Hain clicked his tongue and shook his head.
Northern Grand Duke: YOU!!
Northern Grand Duke: YOU!!!
Northern Grand Duke: Why is King acting like this?!
Northern Grand Duke: Why does he keep calling me ‘Northern’?!!!
Northern Grand Duke: He just asked why I look like a dried-up anchovy from Jeju!!!
Northern Grand Duke: HE’S WEIRD!!!
I ignored the Grand Duke’s frantic messages as Do Hain and I stepped out of the café.