Chapter 40: I Like Sour Things

In my past life, I quite liked lemons.

There wasn't any special reason. Maybe I liked that unique sour taste, or maybe it became a habit from eating them as a kid because they were supposed to be healthy.

Either way, I enjoyed sour flavors. That tartness stimulated my taste buds in a way other foods couldn't.

Of course, that doesn't mean I'd just chomp into a raw lemon like some maniac.

Even for someone who likes sour things, lemons are way too tart.

Usually I'd eat them with a light coating of sugar, or dump a ton of lemon juice in my drinks.

Those times when I'd pour lemon juice in my cola while gaming on my computer were pure bliss... I felt a bit nostalgic thinking about it.

Anyway, the reason I'm suddenly talking about this is...

Because right now, there's a slightly sour scent coming from the bra I'm holding.

Well... it's heading into summer, and she basically sprinted at full speed. Natural to work up a sweat.

Plus her chest area is, um... built in a way that seems like it would trap a lot of heat. How is one cup almost the size of my head? I took a quick sniff of the bra in Seere's hand.

Sniff sniff.

"AHHHHH! Why are you smelling it! Give that back!!!"

She screamed, practically hysterical. Ha-neul's hands desperately reached for her underwear.

But a mere magic user could never match my reflexes.

I easily dodged her grasp.

Seems the "women" here get embarrassed when their underwear is exposed too.

Though that's a perfectly normal reaction.

If my sweaty underwear ended up in someone else's hands, I'd probably feel embarrassed first too. It's just a natural psychological response for any person.

'...Oh shit.'

When I actually thought about it from her perspective, I could kind of imagine how mortifying this must be.

So I tried to comfort her to help ease her embarrassment.

"It's fine. People sweat when they run, it happens. Wow, but you really do wear a large size huh? Makes sense you'd sweat more with those."

"KYAAAAH!"

For some reason my comfort just made her scream more.

Must be the shy type who gets embarrassed easily. Well, I should be understanding about that.

Honestly I wanted to tease her more, but we didn't have time, so I had to return her underwear.

She frantically grabbed it back and skillfully put the bra on with practiced movements. Her face was red as a tomato as she put on her underwear... and well yeah, I'll admit it was kind of arousing. I am a guy after all.

'What an impressive ability.'

I tried to distract myself with that thought.

To think he could steal not just weapons but even small items like this.

Even armor would be useless against him.

The stronger the equipment you bring, the more likely you are to have a bizarre experience of getting overwhelmed.

Then a terrifying thought crossed my mind.

Wait, then... during our fight earlier, he could have stripped off my clothes too?

'Holy fuck...'

Seere... what a terrifying bastard.

I'm so glad I didn't have to experience getting my underwear stolen by that gay asshole.

If he had taken my clothes one by one instead of the dagger, I probably would've run crying back to the forest like a child.

'Come to think of it, what happened to him?'

As I was imagining that scenario, the question suddenly occurred to me. I definitely saw the knights chasing after him at the end.

Wonder if they caught him?

Of course, I didn't have high hopes even as I wondered.

He was a Great Demon after all. Not that the knights were weak, but someone like that would be hard to catch if they were determined to escape.

So I could only hope internally.

That this wouldn't come back to bite me too badly.

*

"Huff... huff..."

...I got lucky.

That's all Seere could think as he barely managed to escape outside the city.

It was a good decision to bring many of the sect's followers to the back alleys.

There were many high-ranking members among the followers, like team leaders and area leaders. They could at least hold off the knights somewhat.

Especially the Otherworlder followers who acted as barricades without any regard for their own safety.

That's how Seere was able to escape despite the deadly pursuit.

Of course, he wasn't in great shape either. His back was riddled with arrows like a porcupine, and his body was covered in cuts.

Plus he'd lost an arm to Yor.

Only a demon's tenacious vitality kept him alive - outwardly he looked practically half-dead.

The branch leader waiting outside the city exclaimed in shock when he saw him:

"Lord Seere, what happened? I'll heal you right away!"

"No need. My body is different from you humans. I'll heal if I rest like this."

Though it would take some time, of course.

Especially his lost left arm was throbbing. To think he'd actually get dismembered.

'Looks like I won't be using my left arm for a while...'

The other injuries might heal, but the left arm definitely wouldn't regenerate.

A demon's body was special after all. He'd have to make do with one arm until he could recover his lost limb.

Seere said with a grim expression.

"I found an extremely powerful Manifestor."

Seere briefly explained what happened in the city.

Meeting the Manifestor in the back alley, and nearly getting into serious trouble during the fight.

The branch leader's eyes lit up at hearing this.

Though Seere wasn't too fond of them now, Manifestors were extremely important talents for the sect.

They could directly contact demons and make offerings remotely.

That's why Manifestors held a position similar to saints in Lemegeton.

With combat ability on top of that, the branch leader's eyes couldn't help but gleam.

Honestly Seere wasn't too happy about it, but he needed the sect's help to catch him anyway.

They either needed to recruit him or offer him as a sacrifice.

So he passed on information about his target to the sect.

"A man with brown hair and blue eyes. He's likely living somewhere in this area. Don't let this leak outside - we need to find and capture him first."

Though the information was slightly wrong.

*

A raid boss named Seere appeared in the city.

Naturally, this news spread quickly through the community.

A demon appearing in one of the cities of the Empire, a major nation - of course it would cause an uproar.

And of course, news spread that Seere was nearly destroyed.

Along with information about a mysterious hooded NPC at the center of it all.

There wasn't video, but someone did get a photo.

A shot of the hooded NPC cutting off Seere's left arm with just a dagger.

Users were present at the scene, and one sharp-eyed player noticed the screenshot opportunity and took it.

Naturally that photo went up online, and as the user hoped, set the community on fire.

+

[Is Seere actually trash?]

A Great Demon getting wrecked by some random NPC from the slums lololol

+

[These demon bastards were all hype lol]

[But I didn't expect him to just straight up cut off his arm like that wow]

[ㄴ fr one of the few male chars that gets me going ;-;]

[ㄴ The devs always do male chars dirty]

[But doesn't being one-armed make him even hotter?]

[ㄴ ??]

[ㄴ Dude...]

+

[But where tf did this hooded NPC come from?]

Comes out of nowhere, cuts off Lord Seere's arm and bounces fuck

Just let me see you once I'll definitely wreck you

+

[Lemegeton arrest]

[But is that NPC male or female? Can't tell with the hood covering everything]

[ㄴ idk looking at the build seems male..]

[ㄴ oh]

[ㄴ wtf is "oh"]

+

[This is actually so hot though right?]

(video)

This is from when the hooded guy ran and the knights were chasing Seere

The way Seere winces every time the knights hit him while running away, why is it so pitiful and hot ha..

He probably shed a few secret tears after getting back to the sect right?

I want to catch those tears and comfort him in private..

Can't help it, gonna go rub another one out to this

+

[Dude please;]

[The Han River isn't far, hurry up and jump in]

[You're Lemegeton too fuck]

[ㄴ As expected trash takes from trash lololol]

[ㄴ I'm a Lemegeton follower but please don't blame our sect for this shit fuck]

[Gotta share this post lol]

The atmosphere was perfectly peaceful.

As internet dwellers do, they were eagerly discussing this rare new topic.

Fortunately no one connected the hooded NPC to Yor.

Demons Saga had countless NPCs, and you never knew when a strong one might appear.

While people wondered about the NPC's identity, no one dug too deep.

The Seere drama had already captured most of the community's attention.

...But there was one person.

Someone who frequently met and talked with Yor could see something different.

You know how after seeing someone dozens of times, you start to recognize their silhouette?

Yoo Chae-rin looked at the enlarged photo of the hooded NPC and thought.

"...This looks oddly familiar."

The build was similar to someone she knew.