Why hasn’t I realized it until now? Am I being mentally manipulated without even knowing?
Whatever it is, I don’t care. What’s important right now is that the great demon beast called the Ten Great Demon Beasts of the World, the Gumiho, is right in front of me.
Bright yellow hair!
And fox ears and nine tails!
Honestly, I’m a bit worried about the Japanese-style outfit, and her very ample bosom is quite distracting, making it hard to know where to look.
But right now, I’m facing a life-or-death situation.
“Precious and sweet? What does that even mean?”
“Oh, that is…”
Hold on, what kind of nickname is ‘Mai Gumi’?
I accidentally shouted that out because the thought of that sweetness crossed my mind. It’s the kind of concept that would make anyone slobber just thinking about it. No matter how developed the food culture in the Central Plains is, it can’t compare to the sweetness of modern jelly.
“Didn’t you say ‘Mai Gumi’? In my hometown, there’s a snack called Mai Gumi that is so sweet and small that we tend to call it precious.”
“Is there such a thing? If it’s that sweet, I want to try it.”
“I’ll treat you to it when you come to my hometown. Hehehe.”
I tried to speak as naturally as possible, attempting to maximize my chances of survival. If she’s offering me hospitality from her hometown, there’s no way she would kill me.
“Ha, you’re quite the amusing one. You’re offering to treat me? That’s only something someone alive can do, right?”
“Yes? Alive? You speak as if I’m about to die or something.”
I replied, veiling my nervousness.
Stay calm.
I’m not dying.
I don’t even have a thought about dying.
I need to convey that.
“Hahaha, so you do think!”
The Gumiho tilted her head, seeming amused by my words.
“What… what do you mean, Gumiho? Judging by your summoning of me, it seems you have some business to address, but I’m unable to grasp your intent. Could you enlighten me?”
“Hmm. Well, there is something I need.”
The only thing I can think about is that Lightning Demon Fox.
That bastard… did it escape and tell its master? No way, would a monster of the caliber of Ten Great Demon Beasts of the World actually come looking for me?
That makes no sense!
Am I being sought out not just by the Four Fairies, but by the Gumiho as well…!
“Please tell me, Gumiho. It is truly an honor and a blessed event that a magnificent and beautiful Gumiho like yourself has business with someone like me.”
“You have quite the tongue, don’t you?”
“I’m merely speaking my truth.”
“Hahaha, you are quite the snake, aren’t you?”
A snake, huh.
“I’m beginning to doubt whether what’s within you is a snake’s heart. Are you a snake demon beneath that human guise?”
“A demon?”
“I am an absolute expert in transformation magic; I have no peers in this skill, yet seeing you makes that certainty start to wane. No matter how I look, you appear to be nothing but a human… I cannot ascertain what lies within.”
Is she suspecting me to be an otherworldly entity?
“Gumiho, I am a human. I appear as a human because I am a human. There’s no need to doubt your tremendous magic.”
“Who said I was doubting? The problem is you are peculiar. You. Come here.”
“Yes.”
I approached as ordered.
“If you are human, then what is this mysterious aura surrounding you?”
“This aura?”
“Don’t pretend not to know.”
—Tzupat!
In an instant, the Gumiho’s pupils contracted, releasing a menacing aura.
“Ah, Gumiho! Please don’t punish me! I was only asking to confirm!”
I said that as if she was simply scolding me rather than trying to kill me.
“Punish? Just speak the truth.”
“Yes, yes! First, Gumiho, let me introduce myself. It would be truly intolerable rudeness to meet such a great being without revealing who I am.”
“…”
“My name is Kim Geunhyeop.”
I immediately introduced myself while slipping in some of my hobbies and interests.
I heard that if you don’t know much about an opponent, they might mercilessly kill you, but once you learn a little about them and recognize them as a living being, they become hesitant to kill.
I need to make the Gumiho recognize me.
“Ah, stop! Just how long do you plan to drag on with this unnecessary self-introduction?”
“I’m sorry! I was so overwhelmed to meet you, Gumiho, that I couldn’t help but reveal more about myself…”
“Why are you overwhelmed? Don’t you have any fear of death?”
“Of course, I fear death.”
“Ha. That’s enough.”
The Gumiho pressed her forehead.
“Explain about your aura. Don’t even think about deceiving or hiding anything. I already have some information.”
“Could it be about that Lightning Demon Fox…?”
“Is it true that you tormented my fox with that mysterious power?”
“Ah! That’s a misunderstanding! She attacked me first!”
“I don’t care, just explain.”
—Chwahak!
In an instant, an overwhelming presence forced me to my knees.
“That… mysterious power you spoke of, honestly, it’s a power I was born with, so I’m not quite sure how to explain it.”
“Born power?”
“Yes. I think it would be quicker to show you! Ah! Gumiho! You are the goddess of magic, the one who knows all the knowledge of the world, right?!”
I shouted, pretending to be excited.
“The goddess of magic, indeed. Truly, there is none more knowledgeable than I when it comes to magic.”
But how does she compare to the Four Fairies? Well, it doesn’t matter much. What’s important now is to butter her up.
“Then you could reveal the secrets of my power! To finally encounter such a connection…! I was starting to think I would die without knowing my own power!”
I somehow led the conversation to this point.
“Be quiet. Show me your power. How many times must I tell you?”
“Yes! Here I go!”
Honestly, I’m curious too.
If anyone would know about my power, it should be a being like the Gumiho, right?
“Hah!”
I immediately awakened my aura to demonstrate my power.
“Hooh.”
The Gumiho observed me, running her finger over her lips. Now that I notice, her nails are very long and sharp. They seem nicely groomed, but if they caught you, anything would be shredded.
“What in the world is this…”
“This is my power. I can consume the essence of demons and come out unscathed, instead even being able to absorb their power. And when I exert my strength, I become like this.”
“You can consume the essence? Something that countless practitioners have failed to do? Is it truly possible that a human can accept such essence?”
“Yes. The doctor who examined my body said the same thing. It’s truly impressive how knowledgeable you are, Gumiho.”
More buttering up.
“Ha! Comparing a human doctor to me? You must have mistaken something fundamentally important! There is no doctor greater than me!”
The Gumiho remark seemed to reflect her pride being hurt.
“Uh, um! I misspoke out of ignorance! My apologies!”
“Very well. Bow your head. You really think it’s possible to absorb the essence as a human? That’s gravely suspicious.”
“Is that such a peculiar thing?”
“What do you mean?”
“No, humans have body constitutions as well, don’t they?”
Please don’t mention ramen.
Body constitutions change.
“There are so many humans in the Central Plains. It wouldn’t be so strange if a human with a peculiar constitution capable of consuming essence were to be born.”
“Ha…! To think such a foolish thing is actually said!”
Huh?
“How can you be so oblivious! Don’t you understand why humans and demons are opposites?”
“I—well…”
“Of course, a human saying something that absurd is not surprising. That was indeed a foolish question. Now, to verify, eat this.”
“Yes?”
—Whack.
The Gumiho gripped my chin, forced my mouth open, and shoved a yellow bead inside.
Could it be… the essence of that Lightning Demon Fox?!
—Gulp.
After swallowing, I exclaimed.
“Wait, is this really the Yoho I drove off earlier?!”
“Don’t make noise… Hoh? You really are able to absorb it?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“How fascinating. You really do seem like a human, but if that’s possible…”
Expressing her curiosity, the Gumiho circled around me, thoroughly examining.
Is this really that surprising? Everyone seems to react like this each time they see me. Even the Four Fairies regarded me with utmost intrigue.
“Yes. This is worth investigating.”
“Surely even you, Gumiho, don’t know…?”
I spoke, slightly attempting to prick her pride.
“Shut it! For me, revealing secrets is quite a simple matter! There is nothing I do not know!”
No, wait.
Then please share that knowledge.
“Very well, let’s do this.”
The Gumiho stood before me.
“What shall I do to comply?”
“You.”
“Yes?”
“Offer me your liver.”
Wait, what?
“What do you mean by liver?!”
“Precisely.”
“No, no way! How would you expect me to offer my liver!”
I’ll die!
“I can’t just remove my liver for you!”
—Sak.
The Gumiho extended her hand and tickled my chest.
“Well then, if I take it, that is enough, right?”
“Then I’d be dead! Good heavens! For a being of the Ten Great Demon Beasts of the World to take the liver of someone like me is asking too much!”
“You’re quite loud. It seems you’re not a snake, but a bird.”
“Please spare my liver! I swear, offering my liver to the Gumiho would be a grand accomplishment to pass down for generations!”
“Hahaha, truly so. Offering my liver is indeed a glorious thing.”
“The crucial matter is that I have no descendants!!!”
This is a serious problem!
“That means I wouldn’t be able to pass down this glory to future generations!!!”
“Oh.”
Could it be my desperate plea has reached her?
The Gumiho hesitated.
“Hmm, well, considering that, it does seem a bit excessive.”
Did my intense negotiation strategy and desperate cries manage to work?
“I’m relieved to hear that. It feels comfortable like it’s my own home.”
“Don’t speak such weird things. Anyway… Speaking of descendants, if your descendants were to inherit that constitution…”
“Yes?”
“Let’s see… Ah, yes! Perhaps we could create a legendary half-demon!”
A legendary half-demon?
“Don’t worry about the liver. I thought of another way.”
That wouldn’t mean what I’m thinking right now, would it?
“Come forth.”
—Whir crack.
As the Gumiho gestured, fox fire appeared in midair.
The fire lit brightly and—
—Pachichichik!
Then the thunder crashed, and a figure began to take shape.
It was a woman’s form.
The Lightning Demon Fox I saw in the den of the Beasts.
“Did you call for me, master!”
“Yes.”
The Gumiho stroked the Lightning Demon Fox’s head.
“Now, you have a job to do.”
“What is it?”
—Churuk.
The Gumiho pointed at me.
“Bear the seed of that human.”
“Yes?”
“Excuse me?”
“Huh?”
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