Epilogue Chapter 26 - Outing to Hell (3)

Crackle—!

The air shattered like a broken mirror and a black Rift was created from it.

“This place is... the Ninth Hell?”

“Holy shit, what the hell? Why is the sky so red?”

Oh Kang-Woo’s two wives frowned as they looked around the Ninth Hell. The sky was red, the ground was arid, pointy rocks were sprouting toward the sky, and the place reeked of blood. It was a place one would commonly imagine when they thought about Hell.

“Ten millennia... in a place like this...”

Han Seol-Ah bit her lip as she looked around the miserable scenery of the Ninth Hell.

‘How hard must he have suffered.’

However long ago it was, the scars in Kang-Woo’s mind had likely not faded. Seol-Ah felt stifled just thinking about the harsh life Kang-Woo likely had to suffer through.

“Haaa. I never brought you here because I knew you’d react like this.” Kang-Woo gently patted the teary-eyed Seol-Ah’s back and continued, “It’s all in the past, so don’t make that face, Darling.”

“B-But...”

“There’s not much to look at but this place has some tourist spots!”

Lilith had taken Kang-Woo around the Ninth Hell back when he was the Demon King.

“Tourist spots...?”

“There are things like that in Hell?” Yeon-Joo asked.

They looked around but they couldn’t see anything of the sort anywhere.

“Well, we can check them out later. Are you okay, son?” Kang-Woo asked.

“Oh, yes. I-I’m okay.” Kang-Hyun nodded, grabbing Kang-Woo’s clothes without realizing it. He seemed to have been overwhelmed by the Ninth Hell’s savage environment. “I see... you rose to become king in a place like this.”

“Hm? Do you see me differently now?”

“No. I believe it would have been more than possible for you.”

“...”

‘You’re making me blush a bit.’

“Ahem. Why don’t we head to the castle f—”

RUMBLE—!

The earth shook as Kang-Woo turned toward the direction of the Demon King’s castle. He saw a dust cloud from afar.

“Wh-What the hell is that?” Yeon-Joo asked as she pulled out red chains from her bracelets.

“MY KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!”

A familiar voice echoed. Balrog’s eyes shone like those of a dog greeting its owner as he ran to Kang-Woo from afar.

Boom, crumble!

Rocks in his path were blown away into smithereens as Balrog collided against them. His charge was no different from a natural disaster.

He stopped right before Kang-Woo as he pounded his rock-hard chest and shouted, “I have been waiting for you after hearing that you would come to visit!”

“It hasn’t been that long since we’ve seen each other. What’s with the fuss?”

Kang-Woo had not gotten to talk as much with Balrog as he wanted to when he was here with Lilith on their wedding anniversary but they had talked before he left.

‘Balrog is a loyal subordinate but he’s not one to greet me so fervently as he destroys everything in his path...’

“Hehe. It’s only natural that I would when the chance to meet my prince again after so long has arrived!”

‘I knew it. It was because of Kang-Hyun, huh?’

“My prince! Have you been well?”

Balrog stared at Kang-Hyun hiding behind Kang-Woo and got on one knee. Kang-Hyun smiled awkwardly and walked out from behind Kang-Woo.

“Umm... U-Uncle Balrog. You promised you would stop calling me

my prince

last time.”

“Hmm. Had I?”

“You did, so please call me Kang-Hyun instead of

my prince

.”

“Gasp! How could a mere vassal like myself dare to call his prince by his name?”

“Urgh... U-Uncle, please...”

Kang-Hyun stared at Balrog teary-eyed, begging him not to use such a burdensome title. Balrog smiled and lifted Kang-Hyun to put him on his shoulder.

“Gehehe! You’ve grown in the time I haven’t seen you. You might not fit on my shoulder soon.”

“I think... there would still be room on your shoulder even if I lied down on it.”

Balrog laughed heartily as he stared at Kang-Hyun flustered by the sudden rise in his field of view.

“That aside, did the princesses not come with you?” Balrog asked.

“Yeah. Lilith is looking after Lia and Kang-Hee.”

“Hmm. I see.” Balrog expressed disappointment.

“Yo, muscle pig. Are we invisible to you?” Yeon-Joo frowned as she crossed her arms.

“Hmph. I see you tagged along, boar woman.”

“What? B-Boar woman?”

“Yes.”

“Who are you calling a boar, you son of a bitch?”

“Ignorant, violent, and impatient... You fit the bill exactly, do you not?”

“Wh-What the hell did you say? Do you think you’re smart and gentle or something?”

Balrog snorted and clicked his tongue. “I am at least better than you.”

“It’s been a while, Balrog,” Seol-Ah greeted.

“Oh, I see you have come as well, Queen Seol-Ah. Did you have a safe trip here?”

“Ex-fucking-cuse me, Mr. Balrog? I’m a queen too, just like Seol-Ah. What’s with the difference in treatment?”

“Hmph. A queen? How could you have the same title as Queen Seol-Ah when you lack both the class and elegance befitting the king’s partner?”

“Dammit, I can be elegant too!”

Yeon-Joo covered her mouth with one hand and placed the other on her hip as she twisted her body oddly. She might think she was posing like a noble lady but suited her so badly to the point it was pitiful.

“Haaa. How could this prince with such a bright future have been born from a queen like that...?”

“Sh-Shut up! I know it doesn’t suit me!”

Yeon-Joo kicked Balrog’s shin, her face as red as a tomato as she glared at Balrog with clenched fists.

Balrog laughed heartily. “Gehehe. Yes, this suits you best.”

They might look to be on bad terms, worse than Balrog’s relationship with Lilith, but they got along rather well to the point that Balrog always drank with Yeon-Joo whenever he visited Earth.

“More importantly... what business do you have on Hell with the prince?” Balrog asked.

“Huh? Did Lilith not tell you?”

“She did not. I have only heard you would be coming with the prince today.”

“We came because—”

“Wait, Father.” Kang-Hyun struggled to make his way down from Balrog’s shoulder and continued, “Please let me say it.”

“Hm?” Balrog looked down at Kang-Hyun in wonder.

Kang-Hyun gulped and clenched his fists.

“Please teach me how to become stronger,” he said, full of determination unlike a child his age.

“How to become stronger, you say?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.” Balrog scanned the anxious Kang-Hyun up and down. “Are you sure... you can handle it?”

“Yes. I’ll do my best.”

“Anyone can do their best. You must produce satisfactory results if you are to be my student.”

“I... I-I can do well!”

“Hehe. I like the look on your face.” Balrog smiled and placed his giant hand on Kang-Hyun’s head. “Then from today, you will spend every day and night in Hell with me to train—”

“Oh, you can’t do that,” Kang-Woo interjected.

“Pardon?”

“Kang-Hyun has school so he has to return to Earth on weekdays.”

“Th-Then he will only be in Hell to train on the weekends?”

“Yeah, for now.”

Kang-Woo had wanted to let his children play to their heart’s content on weekends but it couldn’t be helped since this was what Kang-Hyun wanted.

“Hah! One must not be shackled by academics if they are to become a true warrior—”

“Oh? Do you want to say that to Seol-Ah’s face?”

“— But a king must master both the pen and sword. No matter how strongly one desires to become a true warrior, they must not neglect their academics.”

Balrog was about to suggest Kang-Hyun skip classes and focus on training but yielded as soon as he saw Seol-Ah smiling scarily at him.

“Alright, I’ll leave my son in your good hands,” Kang-Woo said.

“Yes, my king! You can trust me!” Balrog pounded his chest and lifted Kang-Hyun again. “Then I will take him back to the Demon King’s castle to begin the training!”

“Okay, have fun.”

“Hm? Are you not joining us, my king?”

“I’m gonna have an outing with my wives. I’ll be back around evening so you can start with the training.”

“Yes, my king!” Balrog answered energetically and ran to the Demon King’s castle with Kang-Hyun.

“So... it’s just us three now.”

“Where should we go?”

The two wives stared at Kang-Woo in anticipation.

“Follow me, my wives.”

The success or failure of an outing depended on the head of the family. Even though the outing was in Hell, he couldn’t let their memories of this outing fill with filth.

“I’ll show you guys some awesome places!”

Kang-Woo confidently took charge.

***

They arrived at a boiling lake. Around it were dried-up trees just barely keeping their shape and the severed mummified demon demons floating in the water.

“What... is this place?” Yeon-Joo asked.

“A hot spring.”

“A hot spring?”

“It might look like that but it’s not that hot.”

“That’s not the fucking issue!” Yeon-Joo shouted angrily as she pointed at the boiling red lake. “How the hell is that a hot spring?! That’s the kind of shit you’d see in

Diablo 2

!”

“It looks a little unsettling but it’s nice and warm inside.”

“I’m not going in, motherfucker!”

Yeon-Joo kicked Kang-Woo’s shin and shook her head ferociously.

“You’re not...?” Kang-Woo looked up at Yeon-Joo like an abandoned puppy with drooped shoulders. “I wanted to enjoy a hot spring with my lovely wives...”

“Ngh...” Yeon-Joo faltered for a moment but shook her head to regain herself. “Hot spring, my ass! How do you expect me to get in that thing?!”

Even if it was to spend a lovey-dovey time with her husband, Yeon-Joo couldn’t bring herself to enter a red boiling hot spring that looked as if it were cursed.

Just then, Seol-Ah smiled as she took off her shawl.

“Oh, that means you aren’t going in, right, Yeon-Joo?”

“S-Seol-Ah? You’re not...”

‘You’re seriously gonna go in there? No fucking way. No sane person would go in that water...’

“I’m gonna go in with Kang-Woo.”

“...”

“I could enter a volcano if it’s with Kang-Woo.” Seol-Ah smiled as if it were no big deal. “Alright, let’s go in, honey.”

“Sure. I brought swimsuits so let me change over there.”

“Come on, no need for that. We’re married! Hurry up and get naked!”

Seol-Ah licked her lips as if she were staring at prey and approached Kang-Woo.

“W-Wait, Darling! We’re outside— Ack! You’re ripping my clothes! My clothes!”

“Ehehe. Honey, your butt is so cute...

Slurp

.”

Seol-Ah smiled as she undressed Kang-Woo like a child opening a Christmas gift.

“Ah...” Yeon-Joo expressed, realizing at last.

‘No sane person would go in that water.’

However, Seol-Ah had never been sane about anything that involved Kang-Woo.