A new demon, Seere, has been resurrected.
And it happened less than three months after Andromalius was taken down.
The news of this resurrection didn’t come from an oracle like last time; it was just because there were casualties that the information was shared.
In short, the fire has already gone out of control.
Demons that used to resurrect every few hundred years have now returned in just three months.
Naturally, the royal court was in chaos.
“What the hell is going on!”
Bang!
The sound of the emperor slamming his chair echoed everywhere.
It wasn’t a dignified action for an emperor, but no one dared to stop him.
The situation was infuriating enough.
Communicating with otherworlders, dealing with cults, and cleaning up after the last raid.
They were already overwhelmed with work, and this news was an absolute shock.
“Hasn’t there even been a child of a demon before? And now suddenly a demon has resurrected? If you can’t explain properly, you’ll be in a world of trouble.”
Though it’s a ‘world of trouble,’ it’s somewhat fortunate that due to the manpower shortage, no one would lose their heads. However, retirement could be delayed for several more years.
Fortunately, the ministers already had insights into the cause.
“Yes, it seems that the cult called Lemegaton recently found Seere’s altar….”
“Damn, those cult bastards….”
Hearing that information, the emperor suppressed his rage.
There are generally two major methods for summoning demons.
The first is when a holder of demon’s blood directly sacrifices a soul. In other words, remotely offering a sacrifice.
Almost all demons summoned so far were released this way.
The second method is to find the sealed altar and release it.
You can either offer a sacrifice or weaken the seal.
The advantage of this method is that you don’t actually need to sacrifice a soul to the demon.
There’s no need to find a blood holder. You just need to directly offer a sacrifice at the altar.
The downside is… it’s been so well hidden that not a single one has been found until now.
Coincidentally, one appeared this time, and it was in the hands of the enemy.
Hah, the emperor sighed once and asked.
“So… how many casualties have there been this time?”
Usually, when a demon descends, numerous casualties follow.
Andromalius, who had been tanking for the otherworlders, was an exception, but casualties typically hit a hundred or more.
When Belial appeared, there were even cases with over ten thousand fatalities.
Given that, the emperor couldn’t help but envision the worst-case scenario.
It had only been a few days since the demon descended, so the damage must be quite severe.
“Yes, it’s….”
However, the minister’s answer was the exact opposite of the emperor’s expectations.
“Fewer than 20.”
“…Huh?”
The emperor tilted his head.
So surprisingly few?
*
Seere descended. And until the day of his descent, everything was eerily quiet.
There wasn’t even a public announcement like last time, nor did they immediately engage in a great battle.
He emerged quietly from where he was buried.
And he faithfully complied with the requests of those who summoned him.
There were no significant restrictions or pressures placed upon him.
Who could possibly pressure a great demon who has been given a rank?
It could just be seen as Seere’s characteristic. He was exceptionally kind to his summoners. In many ways, he could be said to be different from typical demons.
Anyway, the request he heard upon being summoned was this: to expand their cult’s influence.
“I will gladly grant that.”
From that moment on, casualties began to occur under Seere’s influence, although somewhat weakly.
Instead of blindly massacring humans, he first asked them.
“I will give you a choice. Will you serve me, or will you die painfully here?”
Join or perish.
Given such extreme choices, people’s decisions were all too clear. First, survive and seek other options, right? Of course, while Lemegaton might be deemed a public enemy, life is precious.
Thus, there was a sudden exponential growth of lay members in the cult.
Lemegaton’s higher-ups tied up the new recruits with persuasion or light threats to prevent them from escaping.
Of course, among those pressured to join Seere were also otherworlders.
For them, death wasn’t a big deal. Even though it posed a significant loss, it wasn’t irreversible. With a bit of time, recovery was entirely possible.
Yet, many otherworlders opted to join the cult.
“Hmm… What an intriguing kid. How about serving under me?”
“Yes! Please let me do it!”
The reason was Seere’s remarkable looks.
With a height that could easily reach 190 cm, flowing golden hair down to his shoulders, and a sculpted body and face. He had a slightly alluring charm, making him a stereotypical Western heartthrob.
Moreover, he had little wings on his back, making him look a bit angelic at first glance.
And here was this beautiful being extending an offer for them to join.
Even if there were some reservations about the group, the temptation was real.
Regardless of how the world was perceived, for otherworlders, this place was just a game.
Of course, there were plenty who sought to exploit it, but most users merely aimed to enjoy the game.
For them, Seere’s suggestion was just an intriguing option.
With the new content released, the forum lit up for a while.
+
[From today, my god is Seere]
(picture)
Look how well-designed this is!
I wonder how many from the art team got worked to the bone? Just eternally grateful…
From now on, Seere and I are one.
Seere, my light, my darkness, my life…
+
[Calm down, dude]
[Seriously, how can you refuse when someone with that looks asks you to join? Gotta go in ㅋㅋ]
[Isn’t this too hasty? The system warned that it could damage your reputation due to being part of a malicious group; be careful.]
[Yeah, I don’t even care about my reputation~]
[Does being part of a villainous group really matter? I could be Seere’s footstool!]
+
[I was about to join but ended up just dying.]
I was about to nod in agreement, but the NPCs around me were cursing so much.
How can you do that when you’re trying to resurrect yourself?
I had a bit of the nice guy syndrome, so I just ended up dead cleanly.
I lost my precious plate armor… I bought it so expensively, and now it’s gone. Damn it.
+
[Stupid ㅋㅋ]
[Please don’t come near me; I have no intention of joining.]
[Why hasn’t he come toward me? I’d lick his feet and join in a heartbeat.]
[Why would you want to willingly join a group that could mess up your game? You must be a complete idiot. ㅋㅋ]
[If players aren’t going to explore the unknown, then why be adventurers? Coward ㅋㅋ]
Many opinions clashed in the community.
It was a place where arenas often hosted events, but today’s heat was exceptional.
This event would clearly have a significant impact in the future.
Whether it’s right or wrong. Efficient or not. Does it feel good or not, and so forth.
Many perspectives on the incident emerged.
With the nations of the Demon’s Saga facing off, users were quite noisy.
But as always, no matter how loud the world outside was,
For someone living in the forest, it was no concern at all.
*
Though I was cursed to only wear short sleeves due to uninvited guests in my forest,
There were rare moments when this curse would lift.
It happened whenever Haneul visited my cave.
When she cast an illusion over me, I could temporarily forget my curse and pull out my tank top.
The shabby tank top sealed deep within the cave.
“Hah… So refreshing.”
Wearing the tank top and sunbathing would let me feel a glimpse of paradise.
“……….”
Of course, Haneul would feel a great deal of embarrassment during these moments.
Yet, having met me several times, she was somewhat adjusted.
After all, tank tops are simply casual wear, right? There’s no need for such embarrassment.
Though, like always, it was hard for her to make eye contact.
In any case, having been freed from the curse, I pulled out a pastry I had saved for today’s sunbathing.
It was a pastry I had preserved with great care over the last two days.
No matter when you eat bread, it’s delicious, but sometimes, it’s nice to enjoy it leisurely.
Taking a bite, I expected a crispy texture, but sadly, it was soggy.
“…Ah.”
I let out a small sigh.
Getting to eat bread occasionally was really nice.
It felt like fulfilling a childhood wish. As I savored the sweet and savory bread, my stress seemed to melt away.
However, the downside was that by the time the bread arrived in this forest, it had already gone cold.
While the taste wouldn’t change, the texture inevitably suffered.
I remembered the warm and crispy bread of my childhood…
I muttered with a glum expression.
“It’s really frustrating not being able to go outside.”
“Well, what can you do…?”
At my complaint, Haneul timidly responded.
Being the only one who knew of my markings, she occasionally empathized with my situation.
I watched her for a moment, and suddenly a thought struck me.
“By the way, can’t that magic change my appearance…?”
“Huh? I haven’t tried, but maybe it can?”
“Ohh…”
At my nod, Haneul tilted her head.
She looked puzzled about what I was thinking.
If I could change my appearance a bit… it seemed like it would be worth a try, even if it might be risky.
I smiled faintly and asked her.
“…How about we go to the city together for once?”
I felt it was about time to take a tour beyond the back alleys.
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