Is this Hero for Real?

[Act 13] Demons

I couldn’t get myself to understand it, but apparently there were slaves who voluntarily gave themselves up in this world.

Did they prefer to be a dragon’s turd than a snake?

That demon was odd as well.

“I loved a man so much that I could give everything up for him, but he doubted my love for him, and I became his slave to prove it.”

“Then what happened?”

“…must I explain more? I want to die from embarrassment.”

The beautiful female demon resembling a night hag frowned.

I calmed her down so she could be more comfortable opening up.

“It’s okay. I’m an inferior human, right? Just think of it as talking to air.”

“Then can you at least get rid of that pest that tried to buy me with money? I want to yank those eyes that looked at me with pity from their sockets.”

Murder could be heard in the woman’s voice as she glared at Kogmos with chilling eyes.

Kogmos immediately tucked his tail between his legs.

“I’m sorry! It wasn’t my intent to make you feel bad…”

“Whatever, can you get out of my face? Now, while I’m talking nicely.”

“Yes! I’ll get out right away!”

Woosh~

Demon Kogmos disappeared from the undressing room we were in.

Why were we in an undressing room, you ask?

It was a confined room for people to inspect the bodies of the slaves they purchased in case they saw a flaw. There couldn’t be an overlooked scar or handicap that was hidden by clothes.

“Well, aren’t you cold to your own species.”

“It’s because they are my species.”

“Then let’s continue the conversation we were having earlier, shall we?”

“Is that important? I’m your slave. I don’t think my past should matter much at all. It would be more productive for you to order me to take off my clothes.”

“Talk.”

“Yessir.”

The tale of the demon’s journey to becoming a slave to prove her love was extremely trivial.

Could it be called cliche?

She was used by the man she loved and thrown away.

“I see.”

[a certain god complains this story is extremely boring.

[a certain god reminds you that you are a eunuch.]

‘Hey, I didn't need to hear that depressing reminder.’

Tears clouded my vision.

“Let’s get out of here.”

“This isn’t something I should be saying, but aren’t you going to check my body? You spent a lot of money buying me.”

“It’s fine, I saw your status window.”

Status windows weren’t everything, but she was undoubtedly stronger than the male demon overall.

[Name] Diaroka

[Level] 27

[Blessings] Demonism B, Warrior B, Elegance C, Language E, Observation D, Slave D Resistance D

[Curses] Noble C, Hunting B, Massacre F

Her level and Blessings were overpowered!

But her Curses were holding her back with a tight grip.

“The man who wanted to destroy me ordered me to massacre slimes. This is the horrific Curse that I got from that time.”

“The Hunting Curse?”

“Yes, if it wasn’t for this curse I would have been sold at a much more expensive price as a useful hunting dog.”

“Thanks for the kind explanation, but why are you so on edge? You’ve been like that for a while now.”

“…please don’t think anything weird. It’s because of the Slave Blessing.”

“Aha!”

[Slave]

▶ Having forfeited all your rights, you take on the attribute of property.

▶ Every time you follow your owner's order, you will feel a corresponding amount of pleasure!

It was the complete opposite from the ‘Slave’s Curse’, which made you feel pain whenever you didn’t follow your owner’s order.

Was it like a drug addiction?

It was an eerie effect, like a student desperately anticipating their teacher to give them a bunch of homework.

“Order me to translate by your side.”

“Do I have to say it?”

“Yes. I’m being obedient to an inferior human like you for commands.”

“How honest.”

“Think of it as the endgame of a demon who’s let go of shame and embarrassment for the ecstasy of my Blessing.”

Bang!

Just then, demon Kogmos barged into the undressing room with a red-hot face.

“You bastard! Get your hands off of Miss Diaroka right now!”

“…”

“…”

“Uh… did I come in too quickly?”

Awkwardly glaring Kogmos, the demon woman gave a cold reply,

“It looks like you’re the one who wants to see my body. Master Kang Hansoo? Please command me to kill this piece of garbage painfully.”

“I-I’m sorry!”

Leaving the noisy dressing room, I ordered some extra slaves.

“More slaves!”

There were still a lot of slaves I wanted to get.

***

On his second day of resting in the hunter’s village, Oh Hanwoo was in an extremely good mood.

“Choi Kangmin! I’ll beat you next time!”

[A certain god of wind praises that you were truly amazing.]

[A certain evil god gives you two thumbs up.]

[A certain immature god of dice judges you were very cool.]

[A certain god…]

* * *

* * *

Looking through the gods’ appraisals with a smug face, he took out the money he’d earned from orc hunting.

Ka-ching!

He couldn’t bring himself to skin the grey gnolls - it was too gross.

But what a beginner adventurer like him could do was sell their gear and belongings to the village merchants.

“Here are the items for Hero Oh Hanwoo.”

“Oh? There’s more than I thought.”

“It’s a small courtesy for someone who is going to save the world. I can always give you more clothes, goods, weapons, and medication whenever you like.”

“Hahaha! It’s alright.”

The villagers were incredibly kind to him.

In particular, he could purchase things like armor and weaponry for extremely cheap, although they were secondhand goods.

All they were doing was disposing of the ominous items of the mercenaries that were killed recently by a spirit, but Oh Hanwoo was blissfully unaware and satisfied.

“Is there anything else you need?”

Oh Hanwoo got lost in thought from the young village chief’s question.

Something he needed…

There sure was.

“Is there a dungeon nearby? Somewhere no one has conquered.”

Without an ounce of consideration, the chief replied immediately.

Oh Hanwoo was slightly disappointed, but he didn’t take everything the chief—who wasn’t interested in dungeons—said at face value.

‘He probably hasn’t found it yet!’

It was nonsense for a fantasy world with plenty of unknown adventures to not have a dungeon.

Clang!

“Chief! There’s big trouble!”

The security guard, who was as young as the chief, cried out as he barged into the room.

“What is it? Did a monster intrude?”

“The fairy is back! Councilwoman Celebless…!”

“Could it be…?!”

The chief didn’t even excuse himself to the Hero and ran out with the blood drained from his face.

But Oh Hanwoo wasn’t a bit displeased.

Why?

“A fairy, huh…? I hope it’s a girl.”

He’d seen fairies at the slave market before, but there’d been none that caught his eyes right away.

What about this time?

Celebless.

He couldn’t tell the gender from their name alone, but there was a 50/50 chance.

Oh Hanwoo followed the chief out the door with anticipation.

“Hup…!”

And started to have difficulty breathing.

“My deepest condolences. I wasn’t trying to disturb your peaceful lives. I’m only visiting while on my way to the temple for some business, so there is no need to be so afraid.”

Flare~

Jiggle jiggle~

She was a fairy woman with a tiny phoenix on her head and a rainbow slime on her chest.

Her appearance looked like a human in their 20s, but Oh Hanwoo was engulfed with an emotion he’d never felt before, not even when he’d met the goddess and Saintess.

“Ah… aah…”

She was beautiful.

She didn’t have the chest to softly embrace a hurt younger brother, but she had the aura of an older sister.

Flare?

Jiggle?

“…”

The phoenix and slime accompanying her were dirtying her aura in an odd way, but that wasn’t bad. She came off as an animal lover.

“Are you the new chief?”

“Yes I am, Councilwoman!”

“I came because I missed this place a bit, but you can always decline if you do not want me here.”

“Not at all! Please come in!”

“Thank you very much. Then if you’ll excuse me for a bit. Is the place still there?”

“Yes!”

“Good thing I wasn’t too late. There is a memory I want to retrace.”

“I will lead you right away!”

The beautiful fairy did not look at Oh Hanwoo even once as she passed by.

“Hey…!”

Oh Hanwoo spontaneously called her as she was leaving.

“Did you call me?”

“Um… is there anything you have to tell me?”

“I don’t understand what you’re trying to ask. I don’t have anything you say to you. Now then…”

Oh Hanwoo was taken aback.

Wasn’t it normal to notice his unconventionality and offer to go with him or ask for help?

[Special]

But thAT was nothing like the story development for a main character.

“…maybe she’s shy.”

[A certain male god slaps his knees in admiration.]

[A certain immature god of dice lets out consecutive exclamations.]

[A certain evil god continuously presses the relatable button.]

[A certain water god is speechless at your shocking deduction skills.]

[A certain god…]

And Oh Hanwoo’s misinterpretation led to…

“L-let go!”

“There will be issues if you bother Miss Celebless, mister Oh Hanwoo.”

“Who are you guys?!”

“Surveillants. We take care of Heroes who put dirt on the Heroes’ names. What are you going to do?”

“…”

He didn’t stop until he was stopped by the surveillants, who had seen enough.

[A certain god of wind expressed his condolences]

[A certain immature god of dice advises you to never lose your hope.]

[A certain water god sighs.]

***

There were as many types of slaves as there were reasons for them becoming slaves.

Indeptors, gamblers, farmers, fishers, blacksmiths, hunters, princes, princesses, criminals, seamstresses, adventurers, runaway soldiers, architects, merchants, chefs…

I only chose those who only worked with production.

“They’re really cheap.”

It was because human worth was decided by their levels, not intelligence.

For example, a level 1 slave with almost nothing to offer was basically free. On top of that, there was even additional service given to us.

Thanks to that, I was able to realize just how expensive the female demon was.

A whopping level 27!

Apparently, if it wasn’t for her Hunting Curse, she would have been sold for ten times the price.

I was speechless from bewilderment.

“I don’t understand why you bought me for my Language Blessing.”

“Don’t ask me. That guy chose you.”

“As expected from garbage. I’m sure it was to sucker you. A vulgar act that isn’t demon-like at all. I don’t know why he even exists in this world.”

“Urhh..”

He always yelled at me, but demon Kogmos had been looking strained for a while.

‘What’s up with him?’

I didn’t mind him and kept buying professional slaves.

Chefs, blacksmiths, farmers, seamstresses, carpenters, artists, architects…

“Master. The food, clothing, and shelter will be troublesome if you buy all of these slaves and myself at once.”

Poof! Poof! Poof!

I sent all of them, excluding the female demon who had long passed level 9, to the warehouse.

“Is that all?”

“…”

After buying countless slaves in that way, rumors spread through the slave market that I was a ‘big player’ in just one day.

That was not good.

I didn’t reveal my name anywhere, but I was being pursued by the country’s prince, after all.

There was still a lot of money in the warehouse, but there was going to be big trouble if I didn’t get out right away.

So I lessened my spendings and went on to the next step.

“Tell them to get me everything from here to there.”

“Yes. Dear merchant? We want to buy everything from here to there.”

“#$?! Thank you #$, sir!”

I went around the common market and swept away the daily necessities.

Clothes, spices, medicine, household goods…

As the population in the warehouse grew, it would get harder for them to be self-sufficient. If I didn’t make up for it like that, there just might’ve been a big storm in the future.

“Money.”

Poof! Ca-ching!

‘If only I could use that much money on earth, too…’

‘No, that doesn’t matter. I just want to go back home fast.’

“Next is…”

“Wait! Are you only thinking about yourself?! Rest a little along the way!”

“Huh? Kogmos, weren’t we going to part ways here?”

“…I changed my mind.”

“Why?”

“Don’t ask why. Anyways, I don’t think anyone noticed your identity, so take it easy. I’ll take responsibility if there’s any trouble.”

“But I don’t want to?”

I had a new translator, so there was no reason for me to keep a complaining male demon by my side anymore.

Wasn’t that what he wanted as well?

“You bastard! So now you’re showing your true colors! What were you going to do with Miss Diaroka when there is no one aroun—”

Shoot!

Demon Kogmos was taken out as an arrow pierced the back of his head.

“Hm…”

I looked back at the female demon.

She stepped on her fallen specimen’s head repeatedly.

“Unfortunately, that wasn’t me. Although I wish it was.”

“Really?”

Pew-

Following that, an arrow came flying towards me.

Toss.

I easily deflected it with the back of my hand and smirked.

“What a great world this is.”