Chapter 63: The Cookie Tyrant’s Compassion

“Ohohohoh.”

Here, there was a Demon God laughing darkly.

Hiding behind the large heater inside the waiting tent, he observed every single action of the fans.

‘These are my beloved worshippers.’

And beside him was Yoon-seo, who had returned to being the Demon God’s subordinate after the arduous baking class.

“Hyung…, if we get caught, it’ll be a huge mess. It’ll cause a huge commotion.”

Yoon-seo didn’t particularly want to come, but he had been dragged along by the Demon God.

“Silence. If we are discovered, I shall abandon you, Yoon-seo, and flee.”

“Th-that’s…! Spiteful…! Is it because I educated you so firmly?”

“Hmph. Spiteful? I do not know what meaning that word holds.”

“I can already feel the spite from your ‘Hmph’!”

The Demon God lightly ignored Yoon-seo’s words and surveyed the fans again.

Though their appearances differed from the subordinates and worshippers he had commanded as a War Demon God, it did not bother the Demon God at all.

“Wor! Ship!”

Only worship was important.

‘These are worshippers who will believe and follow any word if it comes from the Demon God and Pantheon!’

– Look at Sun-woo’s cookie. He’s completely clumsy LOL.

– But he put a sticker on it telling us to eat it deliciously LOL.

– He probably thought we wouldn’t eat it anyway, right? It looks like it would be bad for your health.

“……”

‘It seems they do not believe and follow just any word….’

For even fans knew how to use their discretion.

They knew that if a cookie was black and distorted, it should not be eaten.

Beside him, Yoon-seo suddenly let out a ‘Hmph,’ and chuckled.

“Ugh—.”

The Demon God’s mood was twisted into displeasure.

‘He felt like rushing out right now and shouting at them to taste it!’

“Hyung, you know you can’t go out from here, right?”

“I know, I know.”

Still, the Demon God endured.

He truly could not cause a commotion.

He had only come because he wished to see the fans for a moment.

He had to return quickly.

‘The command to definitely eat it can be given on stage, I suppose.’

Soon, the time to address the fans would come.

For now, this is enough.

Just as the Demon God was about to turn his body—

“?”

Someone’s face caught the Demon God’s gaze.

“Hyung, why did you stop halfway?”

“Look over there.”

The Demon God pointed to a woman with an incredibly focused expression.

She was holding the Demon God’s cookie, as well as the other members’ cookies, and staring intently.

Her eyes held intense contemplation.

An existential dilemma of whether to eat it or not was emanating from her.

Of course, other fans were having the same dilemma, but the feeling was slightly different.

While other fans were debating whether to keep Pantheon’s baked cookies as souvenirs or eat them out of respect for the effort—

Gulp.

That fan truly stood before the gateway of appetite.

‘But why is she so thin?’

‘Do they call it ‘bone-thin’ these days?’

But even for bone-thin, she was rather remarkable.

One might say, upon seeing her, a sense of pity arose.

‘For such a fan, I wouldn’t even fault her for using the money meant for fan club membership to buy delicious food.’

But what Yoon-seo said beside him was unexpected.

“I don’t think so. It seems like she’s suppressing her appetite?”

“Hm? Diet?”

“Is that it? I hope so, but it also looks like she’s suppressing it more than necessary.”

“What? Is that not a type of status ailment?”

If one’s appetite was abnormal, too strong or too weak, in the Demon God’s view, it was no different from a status ailment.

“That’s true. Shall I tell them to eat well on stage later?”

“Oh, a good idea. Yoon-seo, I shall forgive about one ten-thousandth of your sins.”

“Ten thousand… is it really that much?”

“Strive to have all of them remitted in the future.”

With those words, the Demon God lifted the tent flap and stepped outside.

However, before going out and closing the tent, he did not forget to observe the ‘bone-thin’ fan once more.

‘First a zombie, now a skeleton soldier.’

‘It seemed they might indeed be the worshippers of the War Demon God.’

***

– I can feel you, the one and only

If Pantheon had a song to open a concert, it was undoubtedly ‘You.’

Simultaneously, a sight different from before unfolded.

Woosh, woosh, swoosh, swoosh, woosh.

The lightsticks had appeared.

The stick mimicked an ancient Greek column, and the top was shaped like a small temple containing an orb.

Pressing the switch caused the members’ personal colors to rotate, illuminating the orb.

Thus, they waved the lightsticks and sometimes called out the team name,

“Pan! The! On!”

And sometimes called out the members’ names in the agreed-upon order,

“Sun-woo! Yoon-seo! Ji-ho! Tae-young! Ha-gyeom!”

Most importantly, they also chanted the newly created cheer.

“Divine Idol Descends! Ten Thousand Fans Bow!”

‘Any resemblance to a specific cult was purely a figment of the imagination.’

‘Ohh, this is good.’

The Demon God performed his best on stage, with a subtle smirk on his lips.

Approximately five hundred fans attended today’s mini-concert.

He had performed in front of tens of thousands of spectators at MAMA, but at that time, various fans were mixed together.

Now, only Pantheon’s fans were gathered.

Even though hints were continuously given on the fan club registration site, the schedule was tight.

Unless they lived here originally, like Yeon-hee seen over there, they had to travel a long distance.

Nevertheless, five hundred people gathered.

The aura of worship was surging intensely.

– Worship forever.

‘Then, is there any choice but to show them the taste of mutual worship?’

While the members’ greetings passed, the Demon God slowly turned his head from side to side, taking in each fan’s face.

He decided to forget trivial things and forgot them.

Then what about what he decided to remember?

He was the discerning Demon God who never forgot.

“Sun-woo, it’s your turn.”

The Demon God received the microphone that was passed to him, and let out a small ‘Hmph,’ chuckling.

“I commend your efforts in coming all this way, my fans.”

He had a remark prepared for today.

Living as an idol, the Demon God was gradually learning how much effort fans put into their fangirling.

The Demon God, who had been a commander of great armies, knew that encouragement was needed at such times to prevent fatigue.

However, he could not encourage them as he had his past subordinates.

For a while, the Demon God scoured the internet, researching what would be the best encouragement for fans, and ultimately drew a conclusion.

It was—

“This body sincerely gives thanks.”

It was, in fact, an idol’s heartfelt gratitude.

How to say, it was somewhat, a little bit, real too….

“Hmph.”

The Demon God admired himself for mastering the various emotions of humans.

Then he opened his five senses to receive the fans’ reactions that would soon follow.

Indeed, a great stir arose among Pantheon’s fans.

It arose, but.

It arose a little differently.

– Hm? What did he say?

– Commending our efforts is one thing, but saying thank you?

– Oh no! He must be feeling unwell somewhere because of his busy schedule lately!

– No, Sun-woo! What will you do if your mental state is already wavering?!

– Demon God, cheer up!

A major rumor of health problems had arisen.

Gratitude also had to come from someone who usually expressed it.

When the Demon God did something uncharacteristic, it only caused unrest among the fans.

Even—

“Sun-woo, have you been having a hard time lately?”

“Hyung, did I perhaps go too hard on you during baking?”

“You always have a displeased expression, so I didn’t notice at all. I’m sorry!”

“I’ll look into hospitals.”

Even the members reacted this way to his ‘gratitude.’

“……”

The Demon God, after a moment of silence, spoke into the microphone.

“It was a jest.”

At that moment, the atmosphere instantly lightened!

– See! That’s it, right? It’s a joke, right?

– ‘Thank you,’ you said? You really surprised me.

– I almost sent an email to Origin telling them to get Sun-woo a health check-up!

– Now that I think about it, that joke is really funny. Sun-woo is thankful, he says!

– Kya-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

It was a joke like a time bomb.

It exploded after a delay, causing them to burst into breathless laughter.

“That’s right, Sun-woo secretly likes to crack jokes, doesn’t he?”

“He did, it was a joke from day one.”

“He prepared another joke for today?”

“It’s a success. I was really scared.”

‘Why was the joke a success if it was scary?’

The Demon God decided to simply put away any feelings of gratitude.

Since he always put them away, it wasn’t that difficult.

“That aside. I have a personal announcement.”

At the again unagreed-upon words, the members looked at the Demon God.

But their tension had already eased, so they didn’t think of restraining the Demon God.

Tae-young was also relaxed, with no sign of preparing a transcendental translation.

Above all, this was a place where Pantheon’s fans were gathered.

These were fans who would understand whatever the Demon God said.

– If it’s personal, shouldn’t it not be called an announcement?

Even at the Demon God’s sudden words, the fans’ questions went no further than this.

“Firstly, the cookies are delicious, so taste them now. I baked them with you all in mind.”

– !

“Secondly, everyone who has come here must meet my gaze at least once before leaving. For I shall remember you eternally.”

– !!

The Demon God, whose gratitude had been rejected, grumbled out the announcement with a huff and a pout.

‘Just do as I say and leave.’

Such was his sentiment, but.

The fans’ reactions were different.

– Kyaaaah— Sun-woo—!!!!

– Listen to our Sun-woo talk! How can he speak so beautifully?

– Demon God, please remember meeee!!

“What?”

‘They looked serious when I expressed gratitude, but.’

‘Suddenly cheers for an announcement?’

“Sun-woo, what you just said is really good. That you’ll remember us forever.”

“If it’s Sun-woo hyung, he might actually do that?”

“Me too, you’ll remember me forever too, right? Since I’m a member, of course?”

“Me too.”

Even the members’ reactions favored the announcement more.

The Demon God was simply bewildered.

‘It is still difficult. This idol punishment. I thought I knew much by now.’

The Demon God shook his head.

‘First, let us do what must be done and move on.’

For there are procedures.

“My fans.”

The ominous voice, imbued with demonic aura, echoed across the plaza.

The fans surmised what words would follow.

“Do you worship me?”

The Demon God’s signature line, seeking and craving worship.

– Yes, we worship you!!!!

“Is that so.”

His darkly sunken gaze swept across the fans.

“Then I, too, shall worship you all.”

At that moment, the Demon God heard a sound of rupture from behind his back.

The chains, visible only to the Demon God, pulled taut and creaked.

Among them, one exceedingly thin chain let out a shriek.

– Kii-gi-gi-gi— Ki-gik— Ki-gi—

Since the first fan meeting, he had been confirming worship everywhere.

To that, five hundred people from this fan concert were added.

Fervent cheers shouted despite a tight schedule, pure worship, true fan devotion.

The Demon God’s eyes gleamed.

‘What was due has come at just the right moment.’

The thin chain let out its last gasp at the end of its shriek.

– Kaaang!

It was the sound of a chain breaking!

Dark red energy leaked out.

All that energy flowed towards the Demon God.

His power had returned.

The Demon God closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the pleasure of recovery.

The power to open yet another Authority had returned.

‘It truly is just the right time.’

The Demon God half-opened his eyes and moved his gaze sharply.

Five hundred people.

Each face, each gaze, each heart.

To find one person among them would be a difficult task, but for the Demon God, it was nothing.

Because the Demon God remembered what he decided to remember.

That, too, eternally.

“There, skeleton soldier.”

Thus, finding the face of the fan he had seen in the tent before the concert began was an easy task.

“Yes? M-me?”

Yoon A-hyun, who had bad luck with her seat and was sitting far away, replied in surprise.

“That is correct, skeleton soldier.”

The Demon God’s call felt as if he was whispering right beside her, even from afar.

Right next to her, he called her a skeleton soldier.

“Am I a skeleton….”

Yoon A-hyun, who knew the zombie unnie’s episode, replied.

“That is correct. You are too thin.”

The Demon God did not like his worshippers collapsing.

Nor did he allow it.

For he was, quite literally, the god of his worshippers.

‘Even now, she holds the cookie and fights with herself.’

Yoon A-hyun was puzzled.

‘Even now,’ he says.

When had he seen her again?

She rummaged through her mind, but no such memory existed.

Naturally.

Because it was a memory that existed only for the Demon God.

‘Instinct, at times, can be the greatest enemy. Yet, merely defying it is not enough to win.’

However, despite never having met her, the Demon God mentioned Yoon A-hyun’s greatest difficulty.

Just looking at food somehow makes her reject it.

She had even failed to eat her bias Pantheon’s cookie.

She now believed there was no answer.

The Demon God would not let his fan give up on her own.

‘The Authority to choose this time is—’

The absorbed aura surged once more.

It coalesced within the Demon God’s hand, granted a structure that exerted a specific effect.

The Authority containing that effect was—

‘This is it. The Authority [Appetite Control].’

Yet another terrifying Authority was about to be unleashed.

“Skeleton soldier, I shall resurrect you as well.”