Chapter 14: The Demon God’s Vassal

The Demon God headed to the study, guided by the ghost.

It was an octagonal room.

Bookshelves were installed on seven walls, excluding the one with the entrance.

Following the ghost’s instructions, he pulled out several books in order and pushed them back in, causing the bookshelf opposite the entrance to open like a door.

It was a secret space.

“So you could not have opened this yourself.”

– “Indeed. If complex manipulation had been possible, I would have conveyed my intentions to someone already.”

In a ghostly state, only simple actions were possible.

Furthermore, once he turned into a specter, he was consumed by the desire to harm others, making it even more difficult.

– “Would you like to open the safe?”

Inside the secret space sat a single small safe. Opening the safe with the password provided by the ghost revealed something inside.

It was a USB attached to a rabbit doll keychain.

– “The keychain was a gift my daughter gave me when she was young.”

As he said it was chosen by the child herself, it was a dainty rabbit shape, exactly as one would expect.

Perhaps because it had been kept well, it was clean without a single speck of dust.

– “Please deliver it back to my daughter.”

“Understood. What is inside?”

The Demon God asked nonchalantly.

– “It is nothing grand. Merely the regrets of a busy father, I suppose. It contains letters I wrote whenever I thought of my daughter while traveling for business.”

“What? If you wrote letters, why did you not simply send them?”

The ghost lowered his head deeply.

– “Well, at the time, my daughter was quite angry with me for being so busy. She wouldn’t even read the emails I sent, so after that, I simply wrote them and saved them.”

Words left unsaid.

It was one of the many regrets of the human world.

“Foolish. If you have a desire to do something, you should simply do it.”

The Demon God had lived his life that way.

Therefore, even in his current state of undergoing punishment, he had not a single regret.

– “You are right. I was foolish. I should have just sent them. Because of that, I couldn’t say a single word to my daughter, and I ended up as a ghost.”

The ghost did not argue with the Demon God’s words.

It wasn’t because of the difference in status, but because he truly regretted it.

Furthermore, even that regret was soon to end.

The ghost had been fading bit by bit since the Demon God liberated him from his spectral state.

It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to remain in the living world.

– “I wish I could see my daughter’s face when she receives it, but I suppose even this is just a ghost’s lingering desire?”

“Do not worry. I shall handle it well.”

Ascension is better than annihilation.

Leaving it to him and departing was the best choice.

Moreover, the method of handling it was extremely simple.

“You said I only need to entrust it to the agent?”

– “Yes, he is a trustworthy person, so he will handle it well.”

“How would he know of the USB’s existence?”

– “My family knew of the USB’s existence itself. They asked the agent to look through this house. I saw it clearly before I became a specter.”

But another question arose.

“Is that so? Then why did the family put this place on the market to let others in? Have they given up?”

– “Rather than that… they probably never imagined I would be here. I neither lived here nor died here.”

“What?”

– “This house was built for a business I was pursuing just before I died. I only stayed here occasionally back then. The day I left the USB here and stopped by my home… I simply collapsed. The family having the agent look here was likely just a ‘just in case’ measure.”

The Demon God was dumbfounded.

To think he became a ghost nailed to this mansion without even dying here.

It was because the USB was here. Just how intense had his regret been?

“I say it again, it is truly a foolish story.”

– “Yes.”

The Demon God felt a surge of desire to live even more as he pleased.

His immediate desire was to perform the punishment and escape this human body, and next was revenge.

To do that, he needed something.

“Where is my 1 billion won?”

Capital.

The money the ghost promised was 1 billion won.

– “You are holding it in your hand.”

“Hmm?”

The Demon God looked at his hand.

There was only the keychain and the USB.

– “The truth is, the reward the family placed on that USB is as much as 1 billion won.”

“Ho?”

It wasn’t that there was a separate 1 billion won for the Demon God to receive.

This USB itself was worth 1 billion won.

Complicated procedures could be left to the CEO and the Team Leader.

“Fine. Then this is the end.”

At the Demon God’s words, the ghost closed his eyes.

To think he would leave without even seeing his daughter’s face; he hadn’t realized it would be this regrettable.

In life, he used business as an excuse, and in death, he was nailed to the mansion.

In the end, he was departing with nothing but the desire to see her.

What a pathetic state.

However, he had to be satisfied.

It was a relief just to have met such a great being and been able to deliver his belongings.

– “Thank you.”

The fading ghost suddenly emitted a light, preparing for ascension.

His body slowly drifted toward the sky.

Thud.

The Demon God’s hand was placed on top of his head.

– “?”

“Perform one task I command you.”

– “Pardon?”

It was something he hadn’t mentioned until now.

The ghost was flustered by the sudden mission from the Demon God.

“When you ascend to the heavens, tell the gods. Tell them I will come for them soon. It won’t even take seven years.”

A mischievous smile filled the Demon God’s face.

Yes, every time he met a ghost like this, he would send them up to deliver a message.

‘I shall cast my shadow over the gods’ sweet slumber.’

“Instead, I shall give you a brief moment of time.”

– “Pardon?”

The Demon God activated his Authority, [Vassal].

“Submit to me.”

He demanded submission in a solemn voice.

– “I… I am already submitting…”

“Just say you will.”

– “Pardon? Well, if you say so… Eh? E-eeek?”

Connected to a vast darkness, the ghost’s existence distorted. The language he was capable of until now vanished, and even his form shrank.

It was different from voluntarily following the Demon God’s words.

Master and servant.

A complete subordination was established, and he was becoming a being that could not refuse any command.

The ghost trembled in fear of what was happening to him.

In that moment, the first command was issued.

“I change the ‘place’ you are nailed to, to an ‘object.’ Be bound to the USB, not the mansion.”

– “!”

That meant.

“If you are lucky, you might be able to hold out without being destroyed until the USB reaches your daughter.”

The chance to see her face one last time.

He was saying that precious opportunity had been granted.

“Since my power is sealed, I have to have you pay a price like this to change the subject of binding. But your sight is still intact, so it is enough, is it not?”

– “!!!!”

Though he had lost his speech, the ghost was truly grateful to the Demon God.

“Do not forget the mission I gave you.”

The Demon God put the USB and the ghost dwelling within it into his pocket.

So this is 1 billion won.

Now that he had decided to regain his strength, the penalty fee was also meaningless.

It was merely capital for the future.

“Hmph.”

The Demon God headed out of the mansion triumphantly.

***

Meanwhile, while the Demon God was ascending the ghost inside the mansion.

“Sun-woo hyung didn’t come out!”

Outside the mansion, the group was in a state of panic.

It was one thing to have run out in a panic, startled by the psychic phenomenon.

But they only realized the Demon God was missing after they were standing under the bright sunlight outside the gate.

Knowing that Sun-woo’s physical abilities were outstanding, the Team Leader and the members never imagined he would fall behind.

“We have to go in and get him.”

Tae-young spoke and tried to open the gate again.

However, unlike when the gate had welcomed the group earlier, it was now firmly locked.

“Team Leader, it won’t open.”

At Tae-young’s words, the Team Leader also pushed and pulled, but the gate didn’t budge.

“Let’s ask the real estate agent for the key.”

The calm Tae-young thought of the next method and spoke to the Team Leader.

The Team Leader immediately picked up the phone and explained the situation to the agent.

“Yes, yes! So we need the key. Please hurry!”

Even while listening to the call, Tae-young was scanning the wall.

It would take time for the key to arrive.

In the meantime, who knew what might happen to Sun-woo?

That figure that appeared in the hallway was definitely not an ordinary feeling.

Tae-young bit his lip hard.

“Yoon-seo, I’m going to have to climb over the wall.”

“What? Hyung, it’s really high here. And aren’t those pointy things on top a steel fence?”

As Yoon-seo said, the wall was high and security facilities were installed.

“There’s no time to hesitate.”

Tae-young placed his hands and feet on a spot he had been eyeing.

A place where bricks were set into the concrete wall to create a geometric pattern.

The bricks protruded ever so slightly.

There was no other place with a possibility.

“Hyung!”

At Yoon-seo’s shout, the Team Leader also approached.

“Tae-young! Stop! You’ll get hurt too!”

However, Tae-young lunged his body upward and grabbed a brick.

The next brick, then the one after that.

He climbed quickly so the Team Leader couldn’t stop him.

‘I should have looked out for Sun-woo and brought him out from the start. This is my mistake.’

As he climbed the steep wall, his breath quickened.

Still, he didn’t slow down. Responsibility prevented Tae-young from stopping.

Tae-young, who climbed the wall like he was rock climbing, eventually reached the very top of the wall.

“Haa, haa.”

He felt like his breath was about to explode.

Still, he didn’t stop.

He carefully crossed the sharp steel fence on top of the wall and moved to the other side.

Now he just had to go down.

‘There are no bricks.’

On the wall facing the mansion, there was no pattern made of bricks.

In other words, a situation where he had to jump down.

“I have to do it.”

Tae-young calmly sought a method.

First, he gripped the top of the wall firmly with his hands and let his body hang down.

An action to minimize the distance between his feet and the ground as much as possible.

Of course, even so, the distance was still far.

“Whew… here I go.”

Tae-young steeled himself.

It was time to cast his body down. He counted to three in his head.

One, two, thr—

“What is with that ridiculous look?”

A familiar voice reached his ears.

Sun-woo’s voice, which somehow made people uneasy yet compelled them to listen.

“…Sun-woo?”

When Tae-young lowered his head,

Sun-woo was staring at him with an incredulous expression.

“Not asking me to open the door? For a human, will you not be injured if you fall from there?”

Tae-young was equally incredulous.

“I’m doing this to save you, Sun-woo.”

At that, Sun-woo wore a face of complete lack of understanding.

“Save? Me? You, Tae-young?”

Then he suddenly burst into laughter.

“Hahat! Hahaha! Are you not overestimating yourself far too much? Hahaha!”

“You…”

It was a laugh that made all sorts of emotions swirl.

How much he had struggled to get here.

He was right on the verge of jumping down, prepared to be seriously injured.

“I shall catch you, so just come down.”

“…….”

Regardless of his feelings, he couldn’t keep hanging there. Tae-young let go and dropped down.

“Oof.”

“…….”

“What are you doing? Hurry and thank me.”

“Thank you.”

In the midst of this, Sun-woo caught Tae-young safely.

However, rather than feeling grateful, Tae-young found it strangely irritating.

“Saving me. That was a good joke. Let us go.”

“…….”

Tae-young vowed that he would never worry about Sun-woo again as far as psychic phenomena were concerned.

***

The Demon God led Tae-young and opened the gate.

“Everything has been resolved!”

The Team Leader and Yoon-seo rushed over in a hurry.

“Sun-woo, Tae-young saved you!”

“Sun-woo hyung! You met Tae-young hyung inside, right?”

The Demon God shook his head firmly.

“I saved Tae-young, who was hanging on the wall not knowing what to do.”

“?”

Tae-young nodded at Yoon-seo’s gaze.

“The part about not knowing what to do is not true.”

“The fact that you looked pathetic is true!”

Tae-young answered through gritted teeth.

“Anyway, it’s true that Sun-woo came out on his own.”

The Team Leader stepped forward and examined Sun-woo closely.

“Sun-woo, what happened inside the mansion? You were left alone, were you okay?”

“What? Is it not obvious?”

It was a reaction that blew away the Team Leader’s worry and apology.

“Sun-woo hyung… what about the ghost?”

“It has vanished.”

Since he said it so confidently, that was the end of it.

“Hmph.”

At the Demon God’s arrogant and cold smile, the Team Leader and the members felt it was almost unfair that they had been anxious for nothing.

“The key! I brought the key!”

A shout calling for the group was heard.

The elderly real estate agent, his face pale, was running at his maximum speed. He was even dripping with sweat.

“Now, let us hurry and save Sun-woo… huh?”

Sun-woo was standing there casually—no, even more than that, with a triumphant face.

“I-I’m sorry, Mr. Agent. Sun-woo came out on his own.”

Seeing the agent’s struggling state, the group felt sorry for startling him for no reason.

“Whew… No, it’s a relief he came out. I thought something big had happened.”

Only then did the agent straighten his back and look at the mansion again.

But.

“The mansion’s atmosphere?”

It had completely changed.

Until just now, the mansion’s grounds had been strangely dark and cold. An atmosphere where it wouldn’t be strange to call it a psychic spot.

But now, just like everywhere else, the early autumn sunlight was shining brightly.

The Demon God also turned around to check the mansion and spoke.

“It is thanks to the specter having vanished.”

The agent rubbed his eyes and asked the Demon God.

“Specter? Sun-woo, nothing happened, right?”

“Something happened? It was a trivial matter to me, but—”

The Demon God thought for a moment and spoke.

“Well, it might be a big deal to someone.”

What the Demon God meant was the ghost’s grudge, but the others understood it as him talking about the psychic phenomena.

It didn’t matter to the Demon God either.

What was important now was this world.

The Demon God held out his hand.

“Look at this. I picked it up while coming out.”

The Team Leader and the members also saw the keychain and the USB.

“Hmm, what is it? Did someone drop it? It doesn’t seem like much.”

The Demon God laughed.

“Is that so?”

The Demon God pointed to the agent’s shocked face.

His eyes were wide as if they were about to pop out.

“Mr. Agent?”

He slowly reached out his hand.

“Th-this… Sun-woo found this?”

“That is how it turned out.”

“Do you know what this is?”

“Not really? There was a note together with it asking to deliver it to a daughter. The note blew away in the wind, though.”

Even at the rough explanation, the agent nodded.

“Mr. Agent, what is this?”

The group asked the agent as they didn’t know what was going on.

But he acted as if he couldn’t hear.

He took out his glasses and put them on, took a picture of the keychain with his phone, and sent the photo.

Every action was incredibly urgent, and surprisingly, as soon as the photo was sent, a call came from somewhere.

“I found it!”

At the agent’s report, questions seemed to pour in from the other side.

“Yes, yes. Someone who wants to contract the house finally appeared. They, ah, well one of them did, anyway, they said they found it inside. Yes, bring it right away?”

The group, unable to contain their curiosity, was about to open their mouths to question the Demon God.

“You say you will pay the 1 billion won reward immediately?”

“!?”

Incredible words were heard.

A 1 billion won reward for that old keychain and USB?

“Provide the rent for free too? Yes, it is that big a gift… understood.”

“!!!!”

The hearts of the Team Leader, Tae-young, and Yoon-seo began to beat faster.

1 billion won, free rent; they felt a sense that something incredible was about to happen.

“Um, Sun-woo?”

“Hmph.”

The agent, having finally finished the call, approached the group.

“The truth is, a reward was placed on the keychain and USB Sun-woo found. It is as much as 1 billion won.”

“Whaaaat?!”

The group’s eyes were fixed on the keychain and the USB.

Unlike before, it looked somewhat extraordinary now. It felt as if it contained incredible information.

“The landlord is greatly moved to have obtained her father’s diary. As a token of gratitude, she has also asked to provide the rent for free.”

“Will the USB be delivered immediately?”

“Of course.”

“Then that is fine.”

The Demon God nodded to himself and looked at the USB one last time.

– “!!!!”

Though it could no longer be expressed in language, a shout of joy seemed to be heard.

“Hmph.”

‘Farewell.’

The Demon God bid farewell only in his mind.

On the other hand, the other people were shocked that what they had only guessed while listening to the call had actually happened.

“Gack!”

The Team Leader stumbled.

“Sun-woo, just what on earth is going on.”

“Get a grip. The Team Leader and the CEO shall handle the miscellaneous procedures. For it will be used as Pantheon’s capital.”

“O-ooh?”

The Demon God was the one who had brought the keychain alone.

But to suggest using the reward as company capital. At the unexpected proposal, the Team Leader was even more confused.

Then he shouted.

“Sun-wooooo!”

“Yes.”

It was a shout filled with immense emotion, but the Demon God merely replied lightly.

Of course, the members were equally moved.

“Sun-woo! You!”

“Sun-woo hyung!”

“Yes, yes.”

For Origin Ent, which was in the middle of moving dorms due to a lack of funds, 1 billion won was truly rain during a drought.

“Sun-woo, th-thank you. Thank you so much!”

Even in his state of shock, the Team Leader thanked him repeatedly, and

“Wow! 1 billion won! And it’s our money! Sun-woo hyung is the best!”

Yoon-seo shouted while jumping for joy, and

“Sun-woo, are you really sure? You’re the one who brought it alone.”

Tae-young confirmed the Demon God’s intention once more.

“You state the obvious.”

He hadn’t made this decision out of simple goodwill.

For the Demon God, regaining his strength was more important than money in this world.

However, he could probably demand things for a while.

“Worship me.”

The group thought.

Sun-woo’s arrogant and cold smile looked particularly cool today.

“Long live Sun-woo!”

“Long live Sun-woo!”

“Long live Sun-woo!”

Worship came naturally. This was something they couldn’t help but do.

“Hmph.”

Amidst the cheers of ‘long live,’

“Now that we have the necessary things, let us hurry and become top idols.”

And the Demon God looked up at the sky.

He had said he was coming soon.

This was the beginning of that.