A Moment's Peace

"I'm telling you I'm fine."

After Shihan dragged him back to the territory while Garduck carried the goblins' carcasses and equipment, she bombarded him with questions about mental health and whatnot.

It took him a moment to make her understand he had a gamelike interface and could communicate with it.

Despite his lengthy explanations, she kept gazing at him suspiciously.

'Are you my mom or what? I'm supposed to call the shots here!'

He shook his head, his eyes brightening as the vigorous Bart strode to them.

"I dismantled the boar, m'lord. We can make a fire and eat whenever you want."

The demon's thick arm split the wind as his contagious excitement made him forget about his annoyance and elicited protesting growls from his stomach.

With an appreciative nod, they gathered branches and lit a fire. How? They were demons. Nothing was easier!

After filling his crying belly, he huffed in bliss, sprawled on the soft soil. Between the mad escape from the demon realm and the fight against the goblin, not counting the pressure from Baal and Hestia, he welcomed this moment of peace with all his heart.

"You can butcher the goblins next. Bring me their cores when you're done."

He gave a lazy command before fidgeting with his interface. The time to check his chat box was long overdue.

'I hope I'll find other humans like me... Even if I'm not human anymore.'

A bitter taste filled his mouth as he pressed on the chat tab.

[Greatest imp: Guys, help me, please! I'm in the demon realm. Everything tries to kill me, even dumb plants!]

[Lord 6369: I'm sorry for you, bro. Try to stay inside your territory and pray for your soul to rest in peace next week.]

[Behemoth: This realm is cursed. I think most lords reincarnated there have already died.]

'Most died?!'

His pupils constricted, making his heart rate hasten. If not for his talent, he would have most likely shared their fate.

He clasped his hands, offering those poor souls a silent prayer before continuing to read.

[Dread lord: Want to sell ten units of metal. Put food on the market to a 1:1 ratio. I'll buy it instantly.]

[Catty cat: Want to buy food. I have sturdy stones to exchange!]

[Hamburger lover: I have wood to trade for food, meat if possible.]

Intrigued by the high demand, he joined in.

[Adam: Why is everyone buying food? Can't you hunt?]

[Pharaoh (Isis contractor): Welcome newbie. I bet you just set your territory up and are confused. Let this big brother give you a little advice. Food is critical for your subordinates to remain loyal. After all, why would they follow a lord who'll let them starve?]

'What's this contractor thing by his name?'

Could those mighty gods offer contracts? Was that what Baal tried to do with him?

'I'll ask later. Focus on gathering information.'

[Adam: I have a few kilos of extra meat. It'll be a shame to let it rot. How can I trade?]

[Pharaoh (Isis contractor): Easy. Get the market blueprint, then build it. You'll unlock a new tab in your interface. But I recommend you store the meat in the warehouse. It can't perish there. Wait, don't tell me you don't have one?]

[Adam: I don't. Why?]

[Catty cat: Hah? It's a primary building we all have. How did you dismantle the beasts without one?]

He frowned at the stupid message. 

[Adam: How do you think I did? The old way.]

[Lord 6369: Wow. You have my respect for your courage. We can touch the beast to trigger the warehouse's passive dismantlement and storing effect. We have to be inside the territory, though. Anyway, try to get your hand on those two blueprints to make your life easier.]

[Adam: Where can I find blueprints?]

[Lord of the nine realms: When you dismantle the beasts, you have a certain chance for them to drop. Without a warehouse, I have no idea. It's a pity because I dropped one. I would have loved to trade it for your meat after a demon bastard stole my prey earlier. Sadly, we can't.]

Upon reading the last sender's arrogant name, his eyes sparkled.

'It's him! The lord I stole the boar from! He is nearby, too.'

[Adam: I'm inside a forest in Hestia's territory. I saw you earlier today. So we can trade face to face!]

[Lord of the nine realms: No way I'll leave my territory's safety. We're all competitors in the end.]

His excitement doused by the firm refusal, he remembered their earlier encounter. Even if he went, the man would attack him on sight because of his imp body.

Fortunately, another lord offered an alternative solution.

[Behemoth: I remember reading about a dude begging for help earlier. A bunch of kobolds captured and brought him deep underground. He swore chests filled with blueprints and ores littered their boss' room. That may be a trail you want to follow after stacking your troops for a few days.]

"The goblins! They must have a camp in the forest!"

He lept on his feet, feeling the evening's chilly breeze ruffle his hair and the setting sun's rays kiss his skin.

"Bad idea to go out at night."

He shoved his excitement down, pinching the bridge of his nose in focus.

'I must summon fighters from the demon den, too.'

With this idea in mind, he offered a word of thanks in the chat before retrieving the cores from Bart.

Yet, instead of intense joy, he grumbled a few curses and stomped his feet on his way.

'Only two cores from six goblins and a rabbit... what dog shit luck do I have?'

He pushed the demon's den carved doors a moment later and pitched the two cores with a wronged grimace.

Similar to Shihan's summoning, demonic energy condensed, the temperature rose, and the stench of sulfur assaulted his nose for a minute.

Two fierce-looking demons condensed from the flames and stepped toward him. The power seeping from the first's fiery body sent a shiver down his spine as he whistled in appreciation.

Meanwhile, a system notification resounded in his mind.

[Congratulations on summoning the tier-one common demon from eastern mythology: Lesser Djinn.]

[Congratulations on summoning the tier-one common demon from Greek mythology: Satyr.]

"Ah? A satyr?"

He squinted, noticing the demon's firm male upper body and goat's lower body. His frown deepened. They were a little bit stronger than regular humans. Besides that? 

'They should rank amongst the weakest demons, even worse than an imp.'

He raised his head towards the ceiling, thanking the stars he didn't reincarnate in that ridiculous yet weak body.