Even Today, the Ranker Dreams of Retirement

Ipsine Lil Morphesia.

Morphesia is a family of the succubus clan.

Fortunately, Ipsine was born as a high-ranking demon even in the harsh Demon Realm.

Ipsine’s father was the head of the Morphesia family, and her mother came from an equally prestigious demon family.

But she always heard this from her parents:

‘We’re strong, we can live as nobles, simply because we were lucky.’

The Demon Realm, based on its harsh environment, had a strict class structure.

Whether noble or king, it was a place where all hierarchies were determined solely by the principle of survival of the fittest, by strength.

The seven Demon Kings who had broken through and stood at the apex of the Demon Realm were powerful, but they showed a merciless nature befitting their status.

Most other high-ranking demons were the same.

In a world where strength took precedence over character, having a soft and tender nature was just perfect for getting stabbed in the back.

Being weak was a sin, and being strong was revered.

In such a situation, Ipsine’s parents, who claimed ‘we’re just strong because we’re lucky,’ were often ridiculed.

Especially by relatives eyeing the position of family head.

‘Acting like that, they’ll get a knife in their back one day! When that happens, we should take over as family head.’

This was the law of the Demon Realm, where weak families were weeded out and only strong ones survived. Among these, Ipsine’s parents tried to embrace even weak demons.

And unlike other demons who invested time in training solely to become stronger, they researched ways for everyone to live well whenever they had the chance.

‘Since the environment has dirty and scarce water, how about planting these plants to purify it?’

‘If we place the luminous lamps that Ipsine likes all over our territory, even weak and timid demons could walk around without fear.’

Thanks to this, their territory was called the ‘City of Dreams’ among lesser demons.

A name that encompassed both the succubus clan that feeds on dreams and the ideal of weak demons.

‘We are succubi. Beings that live on dreams.’

‘The Demon Realm looks terrible and hopeless on the surface, but even so, there are many who want to escape this pain. We can sometimes see it when we peek into their dreams. Everyone points swords at each other out of necessity in their given environment, but…….’

‘We’ve seen that there are those who wish for better, and those who want to rest.’

Ipsine looked out the window. The sky of the Demon Realm was still pitch black, but beneath it were various softly twinkling lights.

All of these were numerous luminous lamps installed during Ipsine’s parents’ generation.

Even demons pushed out of the survival-of-the-fittest world and hideous, vicious monsters would lay their tired bodies under those lights tonight.

Demons who found new families and changed their way of life were gradually increasing.

However, if Ipsine failed to inherit the Morphesia family, if someone else took over their territory, this scene might end at any time.

“I’ll protect it no matter what. I’ll definitely become an excellent family head who carries on my parents’ will.”

Ipsine’s delicate shoulders trembled slightly. She hugged the book tightly and muttered.

“……I really hope that person is the Demon God.”

There was a reason why Ipsine sought the Demon God more than the Demon Kings.

Long ago, she heard this in passing from her parents:

‘The Demon Kings are very scary, but we’re not sure about the Demon God. It seems like they had worries just like us…….’

‘What kind of worries?’

‘They wanted to change the Demon Realm for the better, but they said there was something they still couldn’t find.’

What could it be that they couldn’t find? What could such a great being still be searching for?

Lost in thought for a moment, she raised her head again with a brave face.

“For now, let’s think only of good things! Since they said they’d take me to the ball, I absolutely can’t miss this opportunity.”

More than anything else, if they really were the Demon God, and if they really took her to the ball.

Ipsine’s position would be solidified, and it would be easier to protect her place as family head.

“Pull yourself together, Ipsine. I can do this. I can!”

Her voice was still trembling, apparently quite nervous.

But she stood up with firm resolve.

To arrive at the Demon King’s castle on time, they would need to leave tomorrow to have enough time.

Outfits, preparations, and contingencies to plan for. There were many things to take care of in advance.

“Plus, I should double-check the information about the people I’ll meet at the Demon King’s castle. If I’m attacked, I’ll have to fight with my own strength. And……”

Ipsine’s mind raced as she sat on the sofa, turning pages.

It seemed that even staying up all night wouldn’t be enough time today.

◆◇◆◇◆

Meanwhile, in the bedroom assigned to Habin.

Chae Jiseok was recalling Hyun Habin’s skill.

.

‘They said the Demon God oversees nothingness.’

Moreover, Hyun Habin’s actions of fooling Ipsine and other demons using a skill that only someone of Demon God level should be able to use.

After being lost in thought for a while, Chae Jiseok hesitantly spoke up.

“Hyun Habin, I’m asking this just in case.”

“Hm?”

“You, could it be……”

Chae Jiseok with an extremely serious expression.

Seeing him struggle to speak, Habin tilted her head.

“……Chae-ssi, come to think of it, you look really unwell. Do you need the bathroom urgently? Should I pause the movie?”

It’s sad when you need the bathroom while watching a movie.

Habin knew that feeling well.

As Habin pointed to the pause button as if doing him a favor, Chae Jiseok hastily shook his head.

“No, that’s not it! What I want to ask is!”

Finally, he blurted out his question.

“You’re not really the Demon God, are you?”

“Huh?”

Hyun Habin looked at Chae Jiseok with a pitying gaze, as if he was talking nonsense.

She frowned as she tore into a jerky-like snack.

“Demon God? Me?”

[Demon God? Her……?]

Ahezar also spoke as if dumbfounded. Habin shook her head.

“Sheesh. Everyone’s going on about Demon Kings and Demon Gods, it’s giving me a headache, and now you too, Chae-ssi? Are you teasing me again?”

“No, but. You……”

Chae Jiseok hesitated for a very brief moment, wondering if it was okay to call Habin ‘you’.

But he’d been calling her that all along, so it should be fine, right?

He turned the tablet he was holding so they could see it.

“First, everyone look at this. This is data read by the ultra-small spy robot I infiltrated into Ipsine’s room.”

“Spy robot?”

“You know, my sister’s hobby. This is another of her inventions.”

The contents of the book captured by the small camera popped up on the tablet.

“Earlier, Ipsine was reading a book called ‘0’. It seemed to be related to the Demon King of Nothingness, so I had the robot transmit it, and the skill types seem similar to yours.”

-The Demon King of Nothingness can suddenly disappear into thin air, appear from somewhere, and ignore someone’s attack or characteristics.

-Suddenly disappearing into thin air and appearing somewhere.

“This is similar to the skill you used when we entered the 50th floor.”

That would be .

“Was it?”

Hyun Habin pretended not to know and turned her head, lost in thought.

And the second characteristic listed:

-Ignoring someone’s attack or characteristics.

Though she didn’t tell Chae Jiseok, this was also Hyun Habin’s unique skill.

The skill called .

Just then, Chae Jiseok opened his mouth.

“You also have a skill with the word ‘void’ in it, and the demons felt like you were the Demon God. You’re unbelievably strong, and you can move between multiple floors of Kill Screen.”

“……”

“Logically thinking, couldn’t we conclude that you have some kind of connection to the Demon God, or that you are the Demon God?”

“Ah, right……. Logical thinking.”

Habin sighed deeply and rested her chin on her hand.

“Sigh, then let’s think logically. Chae-ssi, if I were really the Demon God, would I be doing this?”

-Piiiii…….

Habin stroked Libe with a pretend sad face.

“For years, I’ve been just doing part-time jobs, not even able to properly watch movies or dramas. Just when I thought I was escaping that life, I couldn’t even avoid that tedious training institute. Above all…….”

When it really mattered, I couldn’t even protect my family.

Habin shrugged her shoulders.

“What kind of Demon God has such a sad backstory? If I were really the Demon God, I would have sliced up all the monsters on the streets right after the Gate Crisis, saved my family, and fled here to live comfortably!”

Her indignant tone conveyed the genuine hardships and sorrows she had endured. Seeing this, Chae Jiseok couldn’t help but nod.

“That’s…… true?”

After all, everything he had learned about Habin so far was just ordinary information without room for doubt.

Except for awakening as a powerful hunter for some reason, she was just an ordinary trainee who had a smooth childhood and a somewhat tragic young adulthood.

Meanwhile, Habin rolled around on the bed, lost in thought. Looking around at the soft mattress, silk blanket, and delicious snacks, Habin seemed to have realized something.

“Whoa? Come to think of it, it’s really comfortable here, isn’t it? Should I just not go back to the training institute and live here?”

Free luxury vacation, the best hideout!

A world with no one nagging and no need to be dragged to the training institute.

That was the impression Habin had received of the Demon Realm. She closed her eyes and tilted her head as if pondering deeply.

“Hmm, isn’t this really sweet? The lack of data connection is a really fatal drawback, but…… I can just download things in advance.”

Watching her start practical calculations as if she was really considering it, Chae Jiseok put his hand to his forehead.

“What kind of human uses a dungeon as a luxury vacation spot! You’re really not human, are you?”

At that accusation, Habin shook her head and crunched into a potato chip.

“Eh? This human, not treating me like a human again. I’m disappointed.”

Habin nonchalantly swung her legs and gestured to him.

“Honestly, if we’re going there, you’re not one to talk, are you? What you’re holding in your hand right now is Solaris work documents, isn’t it!”

“……!”

Chae Jiseok looked down at the tablet in his hand with a startled expression.

After sharing the robot screen with Habin earlier, he had been secretly viewing documents while manipulating the tablet.

What was filling the screen now were Solaris documents he had received from Secretary Lee when departing for Kill Screen.

If they had followed the usual conquest method, they would have been fighting through monsters, so there wouldn’t have been a situation to do work.

But now that they had been given good accommodation and peaceful time, there was a chance to quickly look at urgent documents.

“Th-This…… I mean.”

‘When did she see the changed screen?’

Chae Jiseok stammered, seemingly flustered. Habin retorted innocently.

“See! There are even humans who do work in dungeons, so we can have luxury vacations in dungeons too. Right, right.”

“This is because it’s really urgent! I’m doing this out of responsibility for Solaris!”

Chae Jiseok hurriedly made excuses.

Ahezar, who had been quiet, sighed and interjected.

[Tsk tsk, from my perspective, you’re all the same. One turns on a beam projector or whatever in the Demon Realm, and the other looks at documents on a tablet. What is this?]

Chae Jiseok shouted.

“You’re one to talk, Ahezar-nim! You just borrowed my phone, didn’t you? Aren’t you trying to read the web novels saved on my account in this spare time?”

[Ah, no! I was just taking a quick look because I was bored while you two were doing that, ahem! Why are you all doing your own things and leaving me bored! Boring the constellation!]

“No matter how you look at it, what kind of constellation peeks at phones because they’re bored? Don’t make excuses.”

[Hmph! Anyway, this is why modern people are problematic! Even when gathered together, everyone just looks at their smart devices! This is why it becomes a social issue!]

Hearing those words, Habin tilted her head.

“Huh. Where did you hear that kind of talk?”

Surely he must have picked that up from somewhere again.

Habin turned her attention back to the movie, taking another bite of her potato chip.