Chapter 188: Chapter 188

***

Major construction began.

As a result of the devils’ invasion, many regions were destroyed, which meant they had to be restored.

The entire world focused on restoring the places that the devils destroyed while Min Sung returned home and looked for his personal chef, Woong Jang.

Since the roads were in bad shape as well, it was most comfortable to just eat Woong Jang’s cooking at home.

“I’ll prepare it for you right away,” Woong Jang said with a smile.

When Min Sung entered the living room after he showered, Ho Sung Lee and Bowl opened the front door together.

“Master!”

Bowl shouted in a cute voice and ran over to Min Sung and stuck onto him tightly.

On the other hand, Ho Sung Lee looked dazed.

“What’s wrong?”

Min Sung asked Ho Sung Lee.

“I thought I died, but when I got up, the devils, Devil Gods, and the Black Towers were all gone,” Ho Sung Lee said with a blank look on his face.

He looked quite shocked.

“By the way, how did you eat those human-looking devils anyway? I tried to eat them, but their skin was too hard for my teeth to pass through.”

Just thinking about it made Ho Sung Lee tremble again.

“Really? I’ve never eaten devils either, so I didn’t think that far.”

“Pardon…? You haven’t?”

As soon as Min Sung lifted his hand, a strong force filled the air around them before fading out.

“I can absorb vitality and nutrients through absorption. I’ve eaten monsters before, but I’ve never had to eat devils.”

Ho Sung Lee’s face twitched.

“Then why did you tell me to eat those human-looking devils?”

“Well, you didn’t.”

“That’s because my teeth wouldn’t go through…”

“You should have at least sucked their blood or something.”

Min Sung looked at him as if he was pathetic.

“You’re still weak, I see, both your mind and body.”

Ho Sung Lee looked down without a word.

Min Sung went into his bedroom with Bowl hanging onto him in order to change his clothes.

***

Woong Jang’s granddaughter, Sia Jang, came down the stairs from the 2nd floor when she spotted Ho Sung Lee looking sad and serious.

Meanwhile, Woong Jang simply stared at Ho Sung Lee as he laid on the ground with many thoughts.

It was silent.

A moment later, Ho Sung Lee sat on the ground with his back leaning against the wall and smirked.

When Woong Jang saw this, he kneeled down beside him and patted Ho Sung Lee on the back.

“Don’t be so upset. He cherishes you. That’s why he’s trying to make you stronger.”

Ho Sung Lee sighed while looking into space and then let out a smirk.

“Yes, I know, and he was right.”

Woong Jang smiled and tapped Ho Sung Lee’s shoulder again.

Ho Sung Lee scratched his head.

“But… It’s really hard to live up to his expectations. Of course, it’s my fault for being weak.”

Woong Jang wiggled his nose and leaned on Ho Sung Lee’s shoulder to get up.

Ho Sung Lee then watched on as Woong Jang proceeded to prepare food for Min Sung.

He heard footsteps.

When he looked beside him, there was Sia Jang.

Once she realized Ho Sung Lee was staring at her bare legs underneath her short shorts, she kicked Ho Sung Lee on the butt.

“What are you looking at, pervert?”

Ho Sung Lee rubbed his butt with a smile.

Sia Jang gave him something.

“… Hm?”

Ho Sung Lee looked at it with surprise.

“What’s this?”

“A chocolate bar.”

Ho Sung Lee smirked and accepted Sia Jang’s chocolate bar.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“Because I’m thankful,” Sia Jang said shyly.

“For what?”

“You protected us.”

In response, Ho Sung Lee showed a blank expression and then a sad one.

“… I didn’t do anything. It was all Min Sung,” Ho Sung Lee said without much confidence.

Sia Jang glared at Ho Sung Lee.

“Are you stupid?”

“…?”

“You risked your life to fight.”

“…”

“That’s why I’m thankful to you,” Sia Jang said as she looked into the distance with her arms crossed.

After much thought, Ho Sung Lee laughed.

“Really…?”

“Yeah,” Sia Jang responded sharply.

“I’m going to go out for a walk. It’s safe now, right?”

Sia Jang asked Ho Sung Lee.

Ho Sung Lee sighed and then nodded.

“Yeah, but don’t go too far. Just in case.”

“Ugh, you sound like an old man. Anyway, don’t be so down, pervert!”

Sia Jang flashed him a smile and then walked out of the house.

Ho Sung Lee watched until he couldn’t see her anymore.

He let out a laugh and looked to his side when he flinched as if he saw a ghost.

“Gasp…?!”

That was because Min Sung was standing there like a ghost after getting changed.

Ho Sung Lee dropped his jaw and grabbed onto his beating chest.

“S-Sir…! When did you get here?”

“What are you doing here laying around? Go get ready to eat,” Min Sung said in annoyance before plopping down on the couch.

“Yes, Sir!”

Ho Sung Lee sprung up and ran over to the living room before returning to Min Sung.

“Um, Sir…”

Ho Sung Lee cautiously called.

“What?”

Min Sung answered while flicking through the TV channels.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“What you said earlier. It’s all my fault.”

“Humans don’t change easily. No need to be sorry. You’re just not good enough, that’s all.”

Ho Sung Lee felt hurt because that meant he didn’t have any expectations for him.

In response to Min Sung’s hurtful words, Ho Sung Lee kept quiet and bowed when Sia Jang’s words came to mind.

‘You risked your life to fight. That’s why I’m thankful to you.’

‘Anyway, don’t be so down, pervert!’

The sound of her voice rang through his head.

He couldn’t let himself be down because of Min Sung’s cold words.

He couldn’t think of the reason, but his body just told him not to be so discouraged.

“Sir.”

“…”

“I won’t disappoint you next time.”

Min Sung scoffed while watching TV.

“Yeah right.”

Ho Sung Lee clenched down on his teeth and bowed down to Min Sung.

He then headed into the kitchen to prepare for their meal.

“Where should I set the table?”

Ho Sung Lee asked Min Sung from the living room.

“The yard.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Ho Sung Lee quickly asked Woong Jang what he could help with. Woong Jang told him to set the table, so Ho Sung Lee headed to the yard in order to set up the table.

When Ho Sung Lee got to the yard in order to set up the table in the garden, Ho Sung Lee blankly stared in one direction.

“What the hell is that…?”

Ho Sung Lee mumbled to himself with a dazed look on his face.

The golden goblin, Ssol, was running around a tree that seemed to be hundreds of years old.

Ho Sung Lee stared at the tree with his jaw dropped.

The tree was too large for anyone to have planted recently.

The tree was so tall he had to bend his head back, and the tree trunk was so wide that not even 5 adult humans could wrap around it.

Ho Sung Lee blankly stared at the tree before calling Ssol with his finger.

“Hey, Ssol. What’s this?”

In response, Ssol rubbed his cheek on the tree and laughed.

“It grew here,” Ssol replied.

Ho Sung Lee’s eyes looked like they were going to pop out as he approached Ssol.

“What?! It grew here?”

Ssol didn’t answer and hung on the tree like a baby koala.

Ho Sung Lee immediately opened the terrace doors and reported it to Min Sung.

“Sir, you need to see this. Ssol said something grew in the yard,” Ho Sung Lee said urgently.

Min Sung walked out to the yard through the terrace although he felt bothered.

Even Bowl stared up at the tree in fascination.

Min Sung went up to the tree and put his hands on it.

There was no particular energy coming from the tree.

It was just an ordinary tree.

Nothing more, nothing less.

“What kind of tree grows this fast?”

Min Sung asked as he looked up.

“Exactly,” Ho Sung Lee replied.

“But it’s refreshing to see. I’m hungry. Prepare the food.”

“Oh, sure.”

HO Sung Lee ran off to get the table, but he still couldn’t’ look away from the huge tree.

***

“Chef Jang, have you seen the huge tree?”

“Yeah. It was scary because it grew so fast, but I don’t think there’s a problem. Oof!”

Woong Jang continued as he put down the main dish on the table, “Not yet, at least.”

Woong Jang smiled.

“Don’t you think it could be a symbol for something similar to a new dungeon or tower?”

Ho Sung Lee asked.

“Don’t make so much noise while I eat. I need to focus.”

“… I’m sorry.”

Ho Sung Lee quietly sat down.

Sia Jang, who just came back from her walk, sat down in order to eat.

“Did you see that huge tree?”

Ho Sung Lee whispered to Sia Jang.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Isn’t it weird?”

“I thought it was cool, but we’re living with Min Sung, right? So whatever.”

Sia Jang pointed at Min Sung and then rubbed her belly out of hunger.

“Ugh… I’m hungry after that walk,” Sia Jang said as she put her head down on the table.

Under the shade provided by the mysteriously large tree, Woong Jang’s main dish revealed itself and filled the garden with a delicious scent.

The amazing smell made Sia Jang scream, and Min Sung picked up his spoon while Bowl and Ssol glanced over with curiosity.

It was only Ho Sung Lee who still had his eyes set on the mysterious tree in the garden rather than the food on the table.