Chapter 64. A Small Flutter That Brings the Storm (2)

A complete sell-out is difficult.

It's honestly not an easy feat.

And yet, there are those who manage it from time to time.

Just like the possibility that came to mind just now.

'If it's Baal… it might actually be possible.'

Kim Jangcheol grasped the tail end of the idea that peeked its head out between the folds of his brain. He checked the contents. Frankly, even he found it a bit ridiculous.

But still, he also had a strange conviction that this was the only way.

A reason?

Of course, there was one.

'Back in my first year of college.'

He'd worked part-time at a café near campus.

Sales? Just average.

Until the owner hired a ridiculously handsome guy as a part-timer.

"...."

That guy, from the very first day, hit the café's highest sales record ever. He wasn't even particularly good at the job—in fact, he had no finesse and was pretty slow at making coffee.

And yet, customers never stopped coming in.

They just kept pouring in.

Thanks to that, he witnessed it for the first time.

The majestic sight of a humble neighborhood café having a waiting line!

"...."

Thinking about it again after so long made him feel oddly bitter.

Was that guy really that handsome?

Well, maybe.

But surely, my esophagus or duodenum looked better. I bet I could trim my toenails faster, too.

'But still!'

That bittersweet(?) memory was now giving him a hint.

A clue to overturn the grim reality of no one in this city giving a damn about chuno, and flipping that situation in a single blow!

'Please, Zephyros. Hurry.'

Before the afternoon fades away like this.

Before foot traffic in the plaza dies down.

Kim Jangcheol looked at Zephyros, who was quickly walking away. Naturally, Zephyros could feel the gaze of his lord piercing the back of his head.

'.....'

Honestly, he didn't understand his lord's thoughts.

'Of all people, why General Baal?'

'Why?'

He couldn't comprehend it.

If it were Asurat or Sirgi, maybe.

But Baal was the most inarticulate among them, lacking awareness and tact. Would seating someone like that at the chuno stall really help sell anything?

It didn't seem likely.

Still, he didn't show it.

'My lord must be thinking of something I couldn't even imagine. Probably.'

Just as he always had.

Just as he'd led everyone until now.

Believing it would be the same this time, Zephyros entered the alley where the rest of their group was resting. He brought Baal with him.

"Baal! Rejoice! The Demon King is looking for Baal!"

"...Shh. Lord Baal? Have you already forgotten? We agreed not to use the title Demon King here, remember?"

"Oh, right!"

"Then, what were you supposed to call the lord instead?"

"Daddy!"

"...That wasn't it."

"Uncle!"

"Yes, that's the correct answer."

"Baal! Remembered it!"

"...Please keep remembering it from now on."

As expected, Baal was hilariously clueless.

Selling chuno like this?

Was that even possible?

On one hand, Zephyros trusted his lord's judgment, but on the other, he couldn't help letting out a sigh.

So, he brought Baal to the plaza. As they crossed the plaza toward the chuno stall where their lord awaited—

'Huh?'

Something felt off.

He sensed a strange atmosphere.

'Why… is everyone looking this way?'

Zephyros felt both confused and unsettled.

At first, he thought it was just his imagination.

But no, it wasn't.

He and Baal were crossing the plaza. And all the people nearby, nearly everyone in the plaza, were casting their gaze in their direction!

'No, more precisely… they're not looking at me. Everyone's looking at General Baal.'

Thud.

No way.

Could their cover have been blown?

After all, Baal was clumsy. He was the last person who could convincingly fool anyone.

So despite taking the elixir of transformation, he'd still been found out!

'This is bad.'

His chest sank.

Was it that Baal's behavior revealed some trait of the demon race that stood out to humans?

'I need to inform the lord…'

He panicked.

Things had gone awry.

Everyone was staring at Baal.

Forget selling chuno—they'd been exposed. They had to wrap this up and flee.

He was going to tell his lord.

Even if he had to run ahead to do it.

But then, it happened.

"Damn… that physique…"

A single comment of admiration, heard from somewhere.

Out of the blue, soaked in envy and awe, the kind of voice that halts your hurried steps on instinct.

Zephyros, without realizing, turned toward it.

Thanks to that, he spotted him.

An ordinary human man passing through the plaza. His face was oddly flushed as he stared at Baal. Then, once more, he murmured in admiration.

"Damn… those delts…"

"......"

Delts?

Why?

"Damn… that back…"

"....."

What is this?

What does that mean?

Zephyros was bewildered.

He doubted his ears for a moment.

Had he heard wrong?

But no. That wasn't it.

He realized the truth thanks to the murmuring voices all around.

"Damn… that physique… those shoulders…"

Murmurmur… 

"What's with that face?"

"No way… how can someone's nose bridge… and that skin…."

"Hey, there goes your husband."

"Kyaaah! Thanks, bestie!"

"......."

Zephyros was speechless.

Meanwhile, their lord spotted Baal and waved.

Baal, like a puppy seeing his master, ran over joyfully. With a bright, innocent face and a beaming smile, his entire muscular body flexing, thump thump boom boom.

All eyes followed Baal.

Until he reached the stall.

Even after he crouched beside it.

They didn't look away.

They kept their eyes fixed solely on him.

Murmuring anew in amazement.

And at last, a single line was launched from the crowd ahead.

"Damn… that physique…"

"......"

Oh god of the abandoned land.

Never, ever did I imagine I would live to see a day like this.

What kind of day, you ask?

I don't even know how to explain this situation. A human male timidly approached General Baal and asked this question.

"Um... I'm just curious, but... what's your diet like?"

"Hmm?"

A shy question from a human youth!

Baal lifted his gaze, eyes full of melancholy like Osukal from The Rain of Versailles.

At that sight, the hearts of the women who had swarmed like bees dropped with a thump. The chest of the questioning youth also fluttered with excitement. Wow, looks like I'm about to receive a legendary diet plan.

But the next moment, Baal gave an unexpected answer.

And not even with words, but with a gesture.

Swoosh.

Baal's finger pointed to the stall. Specifically, to the heap of ugly chuno piled high.

The youth's eyebrow twitched with confusion.

"...Wait, you eat this?"

Nod.

Baal responded honestly.

It was a fact.

Ever since the Demon King began his campaign, all he had eaten?

Nothing but chuno.

Boiled, grilled, blanched, raw when bored, burned when tired of it.

"This, eat. Then stomach, full."

"...Ah? Oh, right. Can't let yourself get hungry during bulking season."

"Gets stronger."

"...Really, eating this? You end up like you?"

Nod.

Baal nodded again.

Even the fresh flower buds that floated like halos behind his head nodded along, their leaf veins—no, petioles—pulsing as if in agreement.

Thanks to that(?).

"......"

A great determination rose in the young man's heart. He too wanted to become a cool, jacked hot-body guy like the person in front of him.

"Uh, I'll take two of these, please. How much?"

"Oh, thank you very much, just pay what you think is fair, good sir!"

Kim Jangcheol jumped in and took the money.

Then he handed over two bundles of chuno tied with twine like watermelons into the young man's arms. The sturdy chuno, about the size of basketballs, made the youth's waist buckle.

"...Oof."

At that moment, the youth came to a great realization.

He got strong from eating this?

No.

He got ripped from carrying and moving this stuff around!

"Huff, huff!"

The newly enlightened(?) young man hoisted the two bundles of chuno over his shoulders and began walking across the plaza, doing lunges. Sweat poured down his back in torrents.

At that sight, a certain desire called madness surfaced in others' eyes.

"I-I want some too!"

"Give me three bundles!"

"...I'll take five!"

Chuno started selling like hotcakes.

Of course, not everyone was buying it just for muscle gain.

"Excuse me... I'm sorry, but... could I maybe get your contact information?"

"Hmm?"

"No, uh, I don't mean anything weird... just, maybe we could exchange letters or something..."

"Hey! What're you doing over there! The line's getting long! Hurry up and buy and move along, will you?!"

While the men swarmed Baal admiring his muscles, the women, seemingly enchanted by his beauty, eagerly bought chuno.

Because he was handsome?

Out of infatuation?

No.

"Uh, excuse me! Just a moment! I just... need an answer...!"

"What kind of answer takes you that long to ask!"

"I was going to ask something else but... if you won't give me your contact, then at least your skincare! What do you use?!"

"Hmm?"

Baal raised his gaze.

The woman's desperate eyes poured into him.

She had to know.

The secret behind this man's glowing skin.

As always, Baal's answer was unwavering.

"This."

Thunk.

Baal pointed at the chuno.

The woman, seemingly enraptured, bought a chuno bundle and vanished from the queue with a look of ascension on her face.

Each time that happened, a smile bloomed at the corner of Kim Jangcheol's lips.

'Heh, heheheh?'

A surging hunch of an imminent sell-out!

A joyful premonition that maybe, just maybe, they could easily secure enough funds to buy seeds!

'I never imagined Baal would be this effective. Honestly, I only hoped he'd give a little boost to the hopelessly unpopular chuno sales…'

This far exceeded expectations.

If they kept this up for just half a day—no, even just a couple of hours—they could sell out everything they had on the cart!

'Maybe... we should just sell it all and run?'

Maybe they could.

Reivaj, who was still sick, his servant and Aged Kimchi—were all resting in the alley behind the residential area on the other side of the plaza. They probably didn't know what was happening here yet.

But just then.

Kim Jangcheol happened to look up—and there he was. Aged Kimchi, silently observing from across the plaza.

"...."

Sh*t.

'Why... is he always so thorough?'

And why... why are tears welling up in my eyes?

Kim Jangcheol fiercely suppressed the rising instinct to flee. He quickly wiped away the tears that had pooled in his eyes.

'That guy... he's no pushover.'

A sloppy attempt to run would only raise more suspicion.

Which meant, if they were to pull this off, they had to achieve everything they wanted and deceive that Aged Kimchi bastard completely before fleeing.

Kim Jangcheol painfully reaffirmed this truth and halted chuno sales.

"Alright, that's it. Today's sales end here."

"...Huh? Why? Wait, I'm next in line!"

"Sorry, we're sold out. See you next timeee~."

"No, wait! You can't just end it like that!"

"It's being ended like that~."

"What kind of response is that!"

"That kind right there~."

"What the hell, you ugly purple Concord grape-head!"

"...Excuse me?"

At Kim Jangcheol's declaration that sales were over, people in the queue erupted in protest. And it made his heart ache. Honestly, he wanted to sell the rest of the chuno right then and there.

'But I can't do that.'

If he sold all the chuno, Reivaj would grow suspicious.

He believed chuno was a tribute-worthy product for the king. He'd freaked out even at the idea of selling a small amount.

'......'

Sigh.

It's unfortunate, but they had to stop here.

This was the sweet spot.

It was right to back off now, while things were still manageable.

'Ahh, my self-restraint.'

And so, Kim Jangcheol packed up the stall, silently praising his own cool-headedness(?). Then he rejoined the others.

His coin pouch now jingled heavily. He consoled himself with the thought that today's results were just right.

Thanks to that, he didn't know.

That the handful of chuno he sold today—

That those few bundles would stir up a storm in this border town. And that this small flutter of wings would one day unleash a tempest upon this entire kingdom.

[T/L: I am not getting any support from webnovel platform, so please support me and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]