“Then I will listen attentively.”
As Kim Hyunwoo naturally spoke while looking at the Red Merchant sitting in front of him, she responded with a faint smile.
“You don’t have to listen attentively. You will have a lot of questions anyway.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, so before I explain, what would you like to hear first?”
“What do you mean by...?”
“I am asking if you would prefer to hear about the contradictions the Lord heard or the story I have to tell.”
Unlike the Blue Merchant, the Red Merchant asked in a polite tone, making Kim Hyunwoo pause and think for a moment before asking.
“...If I choose one, will I not be able to hear the other properly?”
“No? That’s not the case, but why do you ask...?”
“Well...the Blue Merchant started talking and then just left.”
As Kim Hyunwoo spoke with a slightly awkward smile, the Red Merchant had a blank expression for a moment before smiling as if she understood what he meant.
“Well- It might sound funny coming from me, but the reason the Blue Merchant couldn’t tell you more is literally due to restraint, so please understand.”
“...I’ve heard that before, but what exactly is ‘restraint’?”
Filled with curiosity, Kim Hyunwoo asked, and she immediately answered.
“It includes the literal meaning of the word. It’s exactly what it sounds like...but explaining this part doesn’t seem like something I should be doing right now.”
As if she was asking him to choose between the two things she had mentioned earlier, the Red Merchant stared intently at Kim Hyunwoo, prompting him to speak.
“Then I’d like to hear the story you need to tell first.”
“Alright.”
Answering Kim Hyunwoo, the Red Merchant seemed to organize her thoughts for a moment before speaking.
“First, can you tell me how much the Blue Merchant told you?”
“...If it’s about what the Blue Merchant said...they told me a bit about the demons and celestials invading this continent...and to stop other races as well.”
“Did they also tell you about the reward?”
“Yes, I heard that we could receive the Wish of Inevitability.”
Hearing that, the Red Merchant nodded and replied.
“It seems the Blue Merchant told you everything they needed to, so there’s no need for additional explanations. Let’s get straight to the point.”
With those words, she immediately started talking.
“Today, I will inform you of the purpose of the continent invasion.”
“...The purpose?”
“Yes, the purpose. It might be sudden, but do you have any guesses as to why high-ranking demons from another dimension are trying to invade the Middle Realm?”
In response to the Red merchant’s question, Kim Hyunwoo answered.
“I might be wrong, but...is it for world conquest?”
“Hmm...their actions might seem somewhat similar to that, but world conquest is not their actual goal.”
“Then...?”
“The reason these high-dimensional demons are invading this dimension is to resurrect the Demon King.”
“...Resurrect the Demon King?”
The first to ask was Agares, who had returned from the Middle Realm before.
Nodding at his question, Beor answered.
“Yes, this time, it will be two, not one.”
“...Are they partial manifestations, not full?”
“No, full manifestations.”
“...Full manifestations, and two can go to the Middle Realm at once?”
“Yes, honestly, I couldn’t believe it, but Kelva prepared an enormous amount of sacrifices, so it’s possible.”
At Beor’s words, the entire conference room buzzed.
“I will go.”
“Me! Me!!”
In an instant, they all started clamoring to go.
Of course, because Agares had suffered in the Middle Realm, the commanders were aware that there were dangerous beings there.
For the commanders, death in the Middle Realm meant the permanent loss of power.
However, the reason the commanders could raise their hands without hesitation was because two commanders could go down this time.
The issue of one commander going down versus two was completely different from the start.
“This time, I’ll go down and clean it up. I’ll kill all those great heroes Agares couldn’t handle and wipe the outsider out as well!”
“Bullshit, I’ll go! If I spread my plague, those guys will all die without lifting a finger. The outsider and the territory he established... Lartania, was it? I can wipe it out in a month.”
Thus, the commanders raised their hands to go down to the Middle Realm.
“Watch your words-”
Just as Beor was about to frown and speak to the commanders who were talking recklessly.
“...!”
In an instant, everyone fell silent.
The Seventh Commander, who had just raised his hand and vowed to kill the outsider, closed his mouth.
The Ninth Legion Commander, who had just said he would spread a plague and devastate Lartania, began to sweat.
Clank-!
A metallic sound was heard.
Clank-!
The metallic sound got closer.
Clank-!
It could be heard.
And finally, after the metallic sound stopped.
“Just now, say that again.”
Beor involuntarily let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes.
It was because, now, where he was looking.
“Lartania what?”
The Hero King was staring at him with chilling eyes.