Demon Bookshop 14.1

The reopened bookshop had regained its original appearance. The colorful lights and flowers were gone, and the bookcases and books that had been temporarily moved returned to their original places. It seemed as if nothing had ever happened at the bookshop, just like between Paul and the boss. Paul bent his head down.

Paul had hoped that their relationship would change after their kiss. However, the boss's attitude hadn't changed even a bit. There was still no special emotion in his expression and voice when looking at Paul.

"I like you, boss."

"…."

Paul had confessed his feelings to the boss several times since that day, but there was still no answer. A soap bubble called hope, which had taken root in his heart, burst with a 'pop' sound.

'Was the boss just playing with me?'

Pop. Another rainbow-colored soap bubble burst.

'If it's not that, there's no reason to be so silent.'

Pop, pop, pop, pop.

'I guess he doesn't like me after all.'

Tears fell from Paul's eyes as all the soap bubbles burst. He lay in the darkness, weeping silently for a while.

'Looking from his point of view, he might feel burdened by me expressing my feelings.'

Paul decided to cover up his wounded heart, so he acted as if he was okay in front of the boss. But every night, he would appear in his dreams and mess with his head.

Several nights went by, and it was finally Saturday evening, the day before leaving for Banan.

"Let's end it here today." The boss lightly put his hand on Paul's shoulder, who was staring at a book intently. Paul's shoulder trembled, but he soon showed him the book he was holding as if nothing had happened.

"Boss, have you ever read this book?"

"What is it?"

The book Paul handed over was a fairy tale book written in demon language. The cover featured a boy in green clothes, a pirate in a red hat, and little children. In the corner, there was also a ship floating on the water under the moonlight.

"Is it a translation of <Peter Pan>? I remember reading it in human language."

"That's right. It's a pretty famous fairy tale among humans. But do you know what story I heard earlier?"

Thirty minutes ago, Paul was organizing fairy tale books that the children had messed up. The bookshop was quiet as the closing time was approaching.

"Peter blew magical powder that had a marvelous effect on the children one by one. 'Now shake your shoulders like this and you will be able to fly,' he said."

Only the mother demon reading the book and her child were there. Paul had been listening to the voice echoing through the bookshop.

"Michael, who was in the air, screamed, 'I flew!' The children sometimes struggled and hit their heads on the ceiling because they weren't as adept at flying as Peter, but there seemed to be nothing more exciting in the world."

'Isn't this <Peter Pan>?'

Paul continued to listen to her reading. He took out the books that he had already inserted in the right position to wander in the same place. However, the child whined to their mother perhaps because he was bored.

"It's not fun at all~ What's so great about flying in the sky?"

Paul recognized the child's face. He was the one who had tickled the boss with feathers a while ago. He shook the two wings he had instead of arms, which were just like his mother's.

"Why do we need magical powder when we have wings? It would be more fun to ride Captain Hook's ship than to fly around."

"It certainly lacks imagination for a fairy tale. Is it because humans wrote it?"

"By the way, Mom! I heard there's a real flying ship in the city. Can we go ride it, too? Please?"

The child tried hard to persuade his mother, but she shook her head reluctantly. "Mother also wants to but it would be difficult in this life. Your dad's salary is chicken feed."

"Chicken feed? Why do you suddenly say chicken feed? Do you need chicken feed to get on a ship?"

"Something like that. Let's go home now. Go ask your dad what chicken feed means."

T/N: The Korean version is 쥐꼬리 (rat tail) which also means measly amount.

After a while, the demon mother and son left the bookshop.

"They left without buying any books, but do you know what's funny, boss?"

"What is it?"

"I've flown in the air thanks to you, so I can relate to what those demons said. Unlike the first time I read Peter Pan, I was like, 'What's so great about flying?'"

"It's definitely a fairy tale for humans."

"I know. By the way, boss, is there really a ship that can fly in the sky?"

"Yes. It's called a floating ship."

"Can we see it when we go to Banan this time? Banan is a big city, so I'd like to take a look at least." Paul asked, looking at the ship drawing on Peter Pan's cover.

"Maybe. More importantly, Paul, I'll go up first since I have work to do, so take your time to close the shop and go down."

"Yes! Good night, boss. Oh, you must sleep early tonight!" Paul smiled and said goodbye. However, as soon as he heard the boss's door closed, he collapsed. He sat there, barely holding back his tears, throat choking.

The next day, Paul woke up early as usual. He washed his face like the cat Lego and went straight up to the second floor where the boss was.

"Wake up, boss! The weather is really nice today!" Paul opened the window and pulled the curtains wide, letting bright sunlight and fresh air into the room.

"Boss, today is the day we go to Banan. Don't we have to leave early to come back today?"

However, the boss only poked his finger out from under the blanket and used his magic to close the window shut.

"Paul, wake me up later. We still have some time before they come."

"Who's supposed to come? Oh, did you book a carriage? If you're going to call, you should've called it earlier. At this rate, when are we going and coming back?"

"You're noisy. Come here and sleep."

The boss spoke while tapping the empty space under the blanket next to him.

"Next to you, boss…?"

Paul had a subtle feeling. Why is the boss suddenly acting like this when he has been ignoring my confession all this time? He was angry but also felt good like he was flying. So Paul lay down on his large bed together with the boss as he said. But, he turned his back to him.

"Paul, why are you facing the other way?" The boss asked with his eyes closed.

"Never mind me. I always sleep on my side."

"Sleep facing this way."

"Why should I? I'm more comfortable facing the wall…!!"

As Paul continued to insist, the boss hugged him from behind with his big arms. Paul felt like his heart was about to burst from the subtle scent of soap emanating from his arms.

'Clank-clank'

At that moment, the window shook wildly.

"Paul, it's windy. Close the window."

"But boss, didn't you just close it earlier? It must be because the wind blew so hard suddenly!"

The closed window couldn't withstand the wind and eventually opened again. Paul stood up and went to close the window, and his mouth opened in shock at the sight in front of him.

"God… What on earth is that?!"

Paul took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, wondering if he had seen it wrong. But even after looking again, the ship was still floating in the air, dropping an anchor in front of the bookshop.

The wooden ship wasn't very large, but with the white sails that extended from the mast that stretched over the deck, it seemed like it could cut through the air. However, unlike a typical ship, this one had huge engines on both sides to keep it afloat in the air.

"Pablo-nim!" Paul shouted in joy at the sight of the person standing on the floating ship.

"Hello, boss, and Teeter-nim?" From the other side, Pablo also greeted them with a smile. The boss walked over to the window with a displeased face after waking up.

"…You arrived earlier than the appointment."

"I'm here quickly due to the wind. Please get on. I'll take you safely to Banan."

"Hurry up, boss~!"

While Pablo waited, Paul urged the boss to come quickly and got on the floating ship with him. The floating ship rose up high in the sky and headed for Banan, causing the surrounding leaves to fall from the strong wind. Its speed was incredibly fast despite its small size.

'Uhh… The scenery is passing by too quickly, I'm getting carsick. Or should I call it seasick?'

Paul went out to the deck to admire the scenery but went back inside due to motion sickness. 

"Have you ever been to Banan, Pablo-nim?" he asked as he sat next to Pablo, who was driving.

"I usually go a few times a month on business."

"I see. This is my first time, so I also bragged about it to my little friend. I'm looking forward to it so much~!"

Paul, who was chattering in a spirited voice, asked again as he looked at the wheel that Pablo was holding. "But how do you know how to drive this thing? No, don't answer yet. Let me guess! It's because driving is a basic skill for a merchant, right?"

Pablo smiled gently at Paul's words.

"Teeter-nim knows me too well."

"I had a feeling Pablo-nim would say something like that. By the way, why do you usually ride in a carriage? It would be much faster to deliver with this ship."

"Floating ships aren't only expensive, but also require a huge amount of fuel. So we only own one at the Wolf Merchant Guild."

"Oh… it won't make a profit. But why did the boss suddenly call for a floating ship?"

"If you want to go to Banan, a floating ship would be more convenient than a carriage. It's a bit surprising that the boss sent me an urgent message last night, though."

‘He sent an urgent message last night? Could it be because I talked about Peter Pan yesterday?’ Paul turned around and looked at the boss, then he realized why it had been quiet. The boss was taking a nap with an eye mask on, making up for his lack of sleep in the morning.

"Besides, floating ships are much more dangerous than carriages, so normally, it's hard to use them."

"Why? Are there also bandits in the sky?"

"Right. That's why we always hire hunters when we use a floating ship. But we have the boss, so there shouldn't be any problems for us."

T/N: It says hunters in the raws, not bodyguards or mercenaries.

"I see. But isn't Pablo-nim's day off today? You're diligently working even on the weekend."

Paul, who was talking to Pablo, felt that it was somehow getting a little darker outside. Then, Pablo suddenly slowed down the floating ship and shouted toward the boss.

"They're coming from all directions!"

Upon his shout, the boss took off his blindfold and went outside. Paul looked outside through the window of the cabin.

"Whoa! What is that?! Are those what I've only heard about in stories, d-dragons?"

Gigantic creatures, which appeared to be dozens of times larger than the boss, surrounded the floating ship. They were blocking the sunlight, making the surroundings dark.

Their snake-like bodies were covered in tough scales, and their teeth were sharp enough to pierce through any object. The large wings flapping on their backs made a wind-splitting sound, resembling a dragon.

"They may look similar to dragons, but those creatures are called 'wyverns.' They are a fierce race with low intelligence, so they will unconditionally attack anything that appears before them. It's dangerous, so please don't move, Teeter-nim."

'Keeeeek!!'

As Pablo's words fell, the wyverns rushed toward the boss, making terrifying noises. Meanwhile, the boss seemed to be terribly sleepy and was still yawning with his mouth covered.

"Be careful, boss!!"

'Scrunch!'

The sound of bones and flesh being torn apart made Paul close his eyes tightly. However, the eerie sound continued to penetrate through his ears. Pablo hurriedly raised his big hands to cover Paul's ears.

‘As expected of a Fomor,’ Pablo admired inwardly. Even the strongest hunters would only be able to catch three or four of them, but with just a hand gesture from the boss, the wyverns' wings were being torn apart like parchment paper. The wings were ripped, white bones were exposed, and green blood sprayed in all directions. About a dozen wyverns couldn't even scream properly before crashing toward the ground.

"It's all over, Teeter-nim. Please don't worry."

Paul's body trembled. Pablo hugged and patted him on the back like he had done at the Wolf Merchant Guild.

"I should probably get some more sleep."

The boss, who finished tidying up in no time, entered the cabin and wiped the wyvern blood off his face. Moving his handkerchief, his expression turned cold as he saw Paul in Pablo's arms. 

He spoke sarcastically as if telling someone to listen. "Even the savage wyverns must realize what happens when they challenge a Fomor's power."

Pablo felt a sense of fear in his heart at the boss's imposing presence, but he didn't let go of Paul. Instead, he held him even tighter.

"…."

There was a moment of silence. During this time, Paul, who came to his senses, withdrew from Pablo's arms and ran to the boss.

"Are you alright, boss? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Of course not. Killing a few ants won't hurt me."

"That's a relief…. I must have forgotten for a moment that you're a Fomor."

"You worry too much."

The boss lay back in his seat and gave Pablo a sideways glance.

"How long are we going to stay here? It will be meaningless to rent a floating ship at this rate."

"My apologies. We'll depart immediately. Please be careful as the ship may sway."

Pablo, hiding his complicated expression, sat behind the wheel and accelerated the engine.

After a brief flight, they landed at an airfield in Banan. Several floating ships on both sides of them were dropping anchors.

"Welcome! Welcome to the historic city of Banan!" A person in a sailor's uniform greeted them as they descended the ladder from the ship.

'A fish person? He looks strange,' Paul thought as he saw him.

He obviously had a human face, but his skin was covered with fish scales. In addition, he had webbed fingers and fins on his back. He smiled awkwardly and bowed.

"I'm a Sahagin who works as a city guide. Please let me know if you need any help."

"Wow~ So this is Banan! I never even imagined coming to such a faraway place!" Paul exclaimed as he marveled at the sight of various kinds of ships arranged in an orderly fashion.

On the other hand, the boss didn't seem to be very impressed. 

"Paul, this is just an airfield."

"Is that so? By the way, boss, where are we starting from? The library?"

"We'll have something to eat first. Follow me this way." The boss raised his finger as if to come closer and called the Sahagin. He seemed very nervous when he made eye contact with the Fomor.

"G-greetings, Fomor-nim. Do you need anything?"

"I'd like you to show me a good restaurant. The menu doesn't matter."

"Understood. Please wait a moment."

He checked his restaurant list one by one.

"Thank you for waiting. How about this place? It's a restaurant with excellent noodle dishes. Or I can also recommend a place famous for chicken dishes."

He selected a few places and introduced them, but the boss didn't seem to like them and just stood there with his arms crossed, not saying anything. Soon, sweat began to form on the Sahagin's forehead.

'The boss is really too much! He's also good at lying. What do you mean by the menu doesn't matter?'

Paul, who was watching them, quickly made a small gesture only visible to the Sahagin, imitating the action of cutting meat with a knife.

"T-then, how about 'Storm of Space and Time' restaurant? It's run by Sugar Boy himself."

T/N: 시공의 폭풍 (lit. Storm of Space and Time) is also the Korean name of Blizzard Entertainment's game called Heroes of the Storm.

"Sugar Boy? I like your suggestion!" Paul responded excitedly when he heard the familiar name, but the boss beckoned him to stay still.

"What dish is famous there?"

"They say their steaks and ribs are the best."

"I see. Where is it?"

"It's quite far from the airfield. We'll prepare a carriage for you so you can get there easily."

As the boss nodded, their first destination was finally decided. Then, Pablo returned after paying the docking fee for his floating ship.

"Boss, could Pablo-nim join us as well?"

The boss looked down at Paul with a dark expression. "You want me to take Pablo? Why?"

"He went through all the trouble to drive us here. In~deed, you went through more trouble, boss. And also… Oh! You know that today is Pablo-nim's birthday, right?"

Paul fired his own special skill, ‘Sparkling Eyes’, at the boss. Pablo looked at him with his own wide eyes.

"My birthday? When did I say something like that…"

"You definitely mentioned that when we were talking earlier." Paul winked slightly, interrupting Pablo. Paul didn't know, but it was another lethal move in its own way, only to Pablo of course.

"Oh… that's right. Today is definitely my birthday."

"It's your birthday? Then let's do that."

"Oh yeah~ Thank you, boss! Please convey my thanks to this fish person for guiding us too, Pablo-nim."

When Pablo thanked him in demon language for Paul, he responded with a smile.

"It's my pleasure."

As the boss group left, the Sahagin guiding them was finally able to wipe the sweat off his forehead. Then, another Sahagin dressed in the same uniform walked up to him.

"Hey, newbie! How was your shift? Everything's fine, right?"

"Senior, you're here? I don't think I made any major mistakes. I even got a thank you."

"Wow~ Not bad for your first shift."

"By the way, senior, I guided Fomor-nim to Sugar Boy's restaurant. Is that okay?"

"Not bad at all. It's a place with great reviews among high-ranked people. But surely, you made a reservation, right?"

"R-reservation?"

He was startled.

"Well, they are famous for not letting even high-ranked demons in without a reservation. I think it's also written in the manual."

"Is that true…? Oh no… Senior, I think I made the biggest mistake of my life just now…"

He looked frantically toward the spot where the Fomor left. However, the carriage they had boarded had already disappeared in a cloud of dust.

Sure enough, they were immediately blocked at the entrance of the 'Storm of Space and Time' restaurant.

"Excuse me, did you make a reservation, Fomor-nim?"

A beastman wearing a white shirt without any wrinkles and a black vest blocked the boss's way. He had a large build and sharp eyes, worthy of being an eagle beastman.

"I didn't."

"I'm sorry. Our restaurant operates on a reservation basis. It would be difficult to walk in on the same day without a reservation."

Upon his words, the boss asked in a mocking tone.

"How great must this place be to block a Fomor's entry?"

"It's the restaurant's policy. We ask for your understanding and generosity, Fomor-nim." 

The manager didn't budge despite the boss's disapproving expression.

"Boss, we didn't make a reservation so it's our fault. Let's just go eat somewhere else."

"I'll find another restaurant nearby."

When Paul tried to calm the boss, Pablo also intervened, causing the boss to turn around without saying anything.

"Please wait a moment, Fomor-nim."

The manager, who received a whisper from another employee, hastily stopped the boss who was about to leave.

"Fortunately, one reservation was cancelled today. Please come this way, I'll guide you two to your seats."

Paul was stunned. The boss, Pablo, and Paul. Why do you say you'll guide only two people to the table when there are three people waiting? Is it because there is no table for three people to sit together?

"Do I have to teach you how to count now?"

"I'll guide Fomor-nim and the beastman next to you to your seats."

"Why are there no seats for humans?"

"I don't know about other things, but human slaves aren't allowed to enter to maintain the dignity of the restaurant."

The boss's temples twitched. At that moment, he moved his finger to emit black-colored magic.

"Please apologize right now."

It was none other than Pablo who moved first. In no time, he pulled the sword he had, aiming it directly at the manager's neck.

"I apologize if I offended you."

The manager maintained a strong attitude even with the blade to his throat and went on.

"But no human slaves have ever entered our restaurant, and they never will."

Pablo's hand, holding the sword, tightened. Paul grabbed his hand in a hurry.

"Please don't be like this, Pablo-nim. I'm really okay. Boss, please help me stop Pablo-nim!"

But the boss just stood behind, watching with an expressionless face.

'Did he not understand what I said on the floating ship? They're trying to cross the line again,' thought the boss with his arms crossed.

"Wait-yu! What on earth is going on-yu?!"

Someone rushed in from afar, shouting in panic. It was Sugar Boy, a demon who looked friendly with broccoli-like curly hair.

"When I was away for a while… no, who is this-yu?!"

The manager was extremely bewildered by Sugar Boy's behavior. The person whom Sugar Boy ran to shake hands eagerly, was no other than the human slave he had humiliated.

"Isn't this Paul who works at a bookshop-yu? Why are you in Banan-yu? I hope you withdraw the sword-yu!"

Pablo, who saw his polite attitude toward Paul and Paul's brightening face, finally put the sword back.

"Thank you. May I treat you to a meal as promised back then-yu? Come on in-yu!"

Sugar Boy tried to lead Paul and his party inside, and the oblivious manager stood in their way once again. "Chef-nim! Isn't it prohibited for human slaves who degrade the dignity of the restaurant to enter?"

"It's indeed prohibited to allow those who degrade their dignity to enter-yu. But I never said anything about humans-yu."

"But how can you let in such lowly slaves?"

"Let me take this opportunity to tell you that anyone who treats customers rudely, regardless of their status, won't be tolerated-yu! They may end up losing their position-yu!"

The manager finally shut up upon Sugar Boy's firm statement. He eventually lowered his head and apologized to everyone. "I apologize."

"We troubled you. I apologize once again as the representative of this place-yu." Sugar Boy also politely bowed his head and apologized. However, the boss still seemed unhappy and he raised his fingers with his arms crossed. Paul stepped up as always.

"Boss, let's have our meal here. There's a saying that says ‘Banan sightseeing after a meal’, right?"

T/N: 바난 구경도 식후경 comes from the original idiom in Korean 금강산도 식후경 (lit. Mt. Geumgang sightseeing after a meal), meaning eating comes first in any situation.

"I've never heard of it."

"Of course you wouldn't have. I just made it up! Anyway, can't we eat first and think about it later? And I'm so hungry that I don't even have the strength to ride in a carriage anymore, boss…"

"Whatever." The boss replied reluctantly to Paul's nagging voice. Thus, one demon, one beastman, and one human ended up having lunch in the restaurant under the watchful eyes of all the other demons.

"Please confirm your order."

"It's correct."

When the employee left after the boss's response, Pablo asked, "Teeter-nim, are you allergic to tomatoes?"

"No. Do you know how much I love them? To the extent that I can't eat without them."

"Then why did you ask me to tell them? I surely remembered Teeter-nim asking me to tell them to remove everything that contains tomatoes because of your allergy."

Paul smiled and whispered to Pablo in response to his question, "I can't say that our Fomor-nim has a picky eater's aversion to tomatoes. It's better for me, a human, to say I can't eat them."

"Tomatoes are a disgusting food." The boss must have overheard because he responded with a haughty voice from beside them.

"Here is your T-bone steak."

Finally, the main course arrived after stimulating their appetite with the appetizers. It was a well-cooked thick and fresh meat dish, perfect for eating. The boss, who tasted the juicy steak, nodded his head in satisfaction.

"Not bad." The boss moved his fork and knife gracefully.

"It tastes great. As expected of Sugar Boy's restaurant." Pablo was also skilled with the knife.

"It's really delicious! It's delicious but…" On the other hand, Paul couldn't even eat properly because he wasn't good at cutting with a knife. Moreover, he felt like he was going to have an upset stomach because he kept worrying about the dignity or something that the manager had said.

"Please try mine, Teeter-nim."

Pablo, who was watching Paul, handed him his plate with a steak that had been cut into the right size. Paul smiled broadly at his consideration.

"Can I? It's my first time in such a high-class restaurant. Thank you!"

"You cut it nicely."

"Right? No, boss! Can't you just order more if it's not enough? Why are you taking mine away?"

Paul forgot about the dignity he had been so concerned about and raised his voice to the boss. He immediately snatched his plate back and put it in front of himself.

"That's something Pablo-nim cut for me! You're so mean!"

"It won't taste good if you cut it in advance. I'll cut it enough for you to eat, so stop complaining."

The boss started moving the knife again. Paul, who was watching him, was surprised with his eyes widened.

'Thud!'

"Ah, that scared me! Why did you throw the knife all of a sudden? What if someone gets hurt?!"

The boss threw the knife he was holding in an instant. Fortunately, no one was injured because the knife missed and stuck into the wall.

"Slip."

The boss raised his hand and made a gesture of apology.

"W-what kind of slip was that? If you slip again, it can cause a big problem."

However, unlike Paul, Pablo who had sharp ears knew the real reason.

"Pfft! Look at that human slave! He can't even cut it himself and eats what others cut for him, like a baby bird asking its mom to chew for it?"

"But is that true? I heard the president had apologized with his head down because of what happened earlier."

"I told you so! No matter how you look at it, isn't it all the human's fault for trying to enter our restaurant? That human should apologize instead!"

"My thoughts exactly. Humans must have eaten their sense of shame instead of food." 

In the direction where the boss threw the knife, employees had been gathering and gossiping about Paul in a small voice.

"I'll go to the bathroom for a while."

They quickly dispersed thanks to the boss's actions. But Pablo, who became displeased, got up from his seat and headed to the bathroom, thinking of washing his hands.

"Were we going to kill anyone? Why did he suddenly throw a knife? Did I say something wrong?"

"That's right, I wouldn't think it was unfair if we really said something wrong!"

They couldn't be anyone but those pathetic people. Just as Pablo was about to enter the bathroom, he heard the voices of the demons through his big ears. They were undoubtedly the demons who had gathered and talked a little while ago. Pablo turned around instead of going into the bathroom.

***

"What…? Fired, suddenly? Why?"

"No, you should've told us the reason why you're firing us. What did we do wrong?"

"We received a complaint-yu. Did you guys gossip about customers-yu?"

"That… that…! It's our mistake, president! Please overlook our faults this time!"

"We don't need that kind of staff in our restaurant-yu! No need to say, get out right now-yu!"

"Please! We won't do it again! President!"

What's going on? Paul was looking at the employees who were being kicked out by Sugar Boy, begging at the entrance of the restaurant. Then Pablo, who had really gone to the bathroom to wash his hands before coming back, walked over to Paul and sat next to him.

"Pablo-nim, why did you stay in the bathroom for so long? Oh, again, please don't tell me this time. Let me guess."

Seeing Pablo's refreshed face, Paul slapped his knee.

"You relieved your load, right?" 

"No."

"That's alright, Pablo-nim. I understand. There's nothing that lowers the quality of life like constipation. Oops! This is a restaurant. I shouldn't be talking about it." Paul hurriedly closed his mouth. Pablo laughed so loudly that his white teeth were revealed when he saw Paul like that.

"Go home safely-yu. You're always welcome here-yu!"

"Bye~ I'll definitely be back next time!"

Paul, who got into the carriage after finishing the meal, waved vigorously toward Sugar Boy.

"Where should I take you?" Paul looked at the boss when the coachman asked.

"Are you going to the library now, boss?"

"No. The library is open till late, so I should go to the bank first."

"The bank? Is the bank open on weekends?"

"All year round. Take me to Dwarf Bank."

"Yes, sir."

The carriage, which was running on the busy street for a while, finally stopped in front of a large statue. It was a dwarf holding a bag of gold in both hands. Dwarves looked like house elves from fairy tale books but with long beards regardless of gender, and childlike height. As the boss got off the carriage, a dwarf who was standing at the entrance approached him.

"I'm sorry, but currently the waiting queue is long… Oh, isn't this Fomor-nim?" asked a female dwarf with an impressive braided beard.

"Do I have to wait?"

"No. You can come this way, Fomor-nim."

Following the dwarf's guidance, they entered a special counter inside the bank. Shortly after, a dwarf banker with glasses put a pile of documents on the desk.

"Are these all of them?"

"Yes, here is a list of Fomor-nim's upcoming payments."

The boss began to examine them with a rather serious face. Paul and Pablo sat still next to him. About ten minutes passed just like that.

"Paul, your mouth is going to rip."

"Ah! I'm sorry."

Paul, who was about to yawn secretly, scratched his curly hair in embarrassment. He had tried to hold it in, but couldn't help but feel sleepy as he sat still after a meal. The boss still spoke with his eyes on the documents.

"It's going to take a while, so go out and look around the town or something."

"Really? Can I?"

"But come back to the bank in an hour. Pablo, you accompany him."

Paul, who had just come out of Dwarf Bank, looked around excitedly at the thought of sightseeing in the city. Unlike Moires, there were tall buildings wherever he went in Banan, and on the streets, he also saw members of other races besides demons. Wisps resembling huge fireflies illuminated the path while drifting in the air, the undead Dullahans carried their own head in their arms, dark elves with black sclera and white pupils bustled around, etc. Everyone made Paul's eyes widen in amazement.

As Paul stood by the side of the street and looked around absentmindedly, Pablo pulled him toward himself and asked, "Teeter-nim, where would you like to go? Just tell me."

"Oh… I have to go to the library with the boss, so… bookstore! There must be one around here, too, right?"

"Your choice is just like you, Teeter-nim."

Pablo didn't need to call a carriage. As luck would have it, a large three-story bookstore happened to be nearby. Paul was amazed by its size as he entered the bookstore.

'Ey, what is this~ Bookstores in a big city aren't all that great? Our bookshop is much better in terms of curation. Is it because I'm managing it well?'

After quickly surveying the first floor, Paul climbed to the second floor with proud strides. Then, a large event bookcase caught his eye.

"What is this bookcase…?"

Since the description was written in demon language, Paul couldn't understand it. He only recognized the number '365' in the first sentence.

"It says 'Birthday Book.'" Pablo, who was quietly following Paul, spoke up and read the description aloud.

"Just one day out of 365 days. This book was also born on the day you were born. We would like to introduce you to the book that has been living with you, the birthday book."

"Oh! So the book was published on the same day as one's birthday?"

"I guess so. When is your birthday, Teeter-nim?"

"It's August 15th. Oh, it's over there!"

Paul tiptoed and reached for the bookcase. However, the book was placed high up and was out of his reach even if it almost touched his fingertips. Pablo eventually reached out his long arm and took out the book for him.

"I envy you… Pablo-nim, how tall are you?"

"I'm 184 cm tall."

"Wow… Can't you give me just 4 cm? Then I'll be 175 cm, and Pablo-nim will still be 180 cm."

Pablo smiled hearing Paul's fussing. It was as if sweet honey was dripping from his eyes as he looked at Paul.

"No, the boss is the tallest, so I'll ask him. My neck hurts every time I look at him. I wonder if he can use his ability to make himself shorter…?" Paul muttered to himself and looked at the book with a sky-blue cover in his hand.

"The cover is so pretty, although I can't read it because it's in demon language. Pablo-nim, sorry, but could you put it back?" Paul smacked his lips and handed the book back to Pablo.

"By the way, when is your birthday, Pablo-nim?"

"It's May 21st."

"May 21st…? It's today, isn't it?!"

"I thought Teeter-nim already knew."

"I had no idea! I lied earlier because I just wanted to eat with you… It’s late, but happy birthday, Pablo-nim!"

Paul searched for Pablo's birthday book with the thought of giving it to him as a gift. However, only the book of May 21st was gone, as someone might have already taken it.

"What should I do? Of all books, only today's book isn't here. I wanted to buy it as a gift for you."

"It's okay."

"Actually, books are much more affordable at our bookshop. I'll go back and find a book that Pablo-nim might like."

"Thank you, Teeter-nim."

After exploring the second floor with Pablo, Paul went upstairs again. Unlike the floors below, which were full of books, it was full of various fancy items.

"Wow! It's just like Lego," said Paul, who had been sightseeing enthusiastically. He picked up a cat-shaped keychain. It was a perfect miniature of Lego, with a cheese-colored body and black stripes on its back.

"Lego?"

"Pablo-nim has never seen it, right? Well, Lego is a bit shy. It's the cat we have at our bookshop, and it looks so silly just like this."

Paul smiled as he showed Pablo the keychain. Upon seeing Paul's face, Pablo unknowingly expressed his true feelings.

"Teeter-nim, so cute."

"Right? Should I buy one of these?"

Contrary to Pablo's intention, Paul seemed to think that he was referring to the keychain.

"I'll buy it for you."

"No, I have some gold that the boss gave me for pocket money. But, this one looks like Pablo-nim!"

This time, Paul held up a puppy-shaped keychain with light gray fur. It was a miniature version of Pablo with big ears and a tail.

"Is that so? But that's a puppy, and I'm a wolf."

Pablo blinked as he looked at the small puppy keychain. Paul nodded as he looked at Pablo's drooping eyes.

"It's exactly the same. I should buy this as a gift for Pablo-nim."

"What about this fellow? It looks just like the boss."

This time, Pablo placed a keychain in the shape of a black panther on Paul's palm.

"Wow~ the eyes are fierce and completely black just like the boss! I'll have to buy this fellow, too."

Paul held back his laughter and spoke.

"But Pablo-nim, do you know that? I've never seen the boss wear anything other than black. Why is that? Was he a shadow in his past life?"

"I think I know the reason."

"Really? What is it?"

"Do you happen to remember the color of the river in Moires? Isn't it different from its color in the human world?"

"That's right. When I first came here, I was surprised to see that the clear blue river turned murky gray."

"It's because it was influenced by mana. Anything exposed to mana for a long time will turn black. That's why the river has also changed."

"Oh… I see. I didn't know that. So the boss wears clothes that turn black. No, maybe that’s why he only wears black in the first place."

Paul nodded slightly as he stared at the black leopard keychain in his hand.

"Happy birthday, Pablo-nim! It's too small and simple to call it a birthday present, though. I'll prepare a proper one next time."

Coming out of the bookstore, Paul handed Pablo the puppy keychain. Fortunately, Pablo was genuinely happy about the gift.

"It's the best birthday present. I'll cherish it."

‘Today, being with Teeter-nim, is the best day of my life.’ Thinking so, Pablo held the dog key chain preciously in his hands.

"By the way, Pablo-nim, I don't think I'll ever be able to live in Banan. There are too many demons, and above all, I wouldn't be able to keep my head straight. I guess I can only be a helpless country mouse. How about Pablo-nim?"

"…."

"Pablo-nim?"

As Paul walked and talked to himself, he realized belatedly that Pablo was no longer next to him. Looking back on the street, he saw that Pablo was being held back by the demons and couldn't move. Paul approached Pablo, who was scratching his head.

"What are you doing here, Pablo-nim?"

"My apologies. I couldn't go because these guys kept blocking the way."

Paul thought they might be religious advocates, as was often the case in the human world. But what they were saying didn't match his expectations.

"Why don't you come for an interview at least once? Or at least get our guild business card for now."

"What interview? Let's work together in our guild! With that face, you'd be the perfect escort for rich ladies!"

"No, come to our guild! Our escorts are famous for their good looks!"

The words interview and guild came out of their mouths.

"Pablo-nim, what did these demons say?"

"They asked me if I'd like to be an escort."

"An escort? So for the demons, even escorts are recruited based on looks."

Paul received their business cards on Pablo's behalf. They were from MS, PYJ, and HITBIG. Paul didn't know much about them but had a feeling that they were famous guilds. At the same time, a scouter, who had been staring at Paul's face, also handed him another business card. The same was true for the other guilds.

T/N: Based on Korean entertainment agencies SM, JYP, and BIGHIT.

Why are they giving me another card after they gave him one earlier? The scouter, who was the first to hand over the business card, spoke to him as if he had read his thoughts.

"You also have a nice face, don't you want to work in our guild?"

Did I just hear it wrong? Or are my earrings finally broken? While Paul doubted his ears, another demon spoke up.

"This friend has a pretty face, perfect for a secretary. Don't you have any thoughts of joining our guild? Our guild is also famous for having good-looking secretaries!"

As Paul was being pressured to the point of being overwhelmed, the demon who first handed him his business card suddenly shouted.

"Wait! Look closely! He's a human without magic!"

"A human slave? For a slave to have such a look, what a waste!"

"I'm a human, but I'm not a slave, you know?" Paul retorted as the demons chatted among themselves.

However, they couldn't understand Paul's human language.

"What is this human saying now?"

"Why are you asking me? Never mind the slave."

They now openly ignored Paul. Pablo took him behind his back. "Teeter-nim is not a slave."

"Yes! We just need this wolf friend! Looking at how he wielded his sword, he must know some swordsmanship. Do you know how good he is?"

"Actually, he doesn't even need to be skilled with a sword. It's enough to just breathe next to the client with that face!"

Paul lowered his head at their attitude of not listening to them.

"Pablo-nim, these demons don't seem to understand what I'm saying, so I'll speak boldly. Let's run away."

"Okay."

Paul grabbed Pablo's hand tightly.

"Now!"

They immediately leapt forward at Paul's shout.

"Wait! Stay right there!"

"How hard is it to join our guild?! This is a great opportunity for you too!"

"We'll be caught up again at this rate!"

With poor physical strength and slow running, Paul shouted in dismay. Then, Pablo, who could run fast, took the lead and pulled him along. Thanks to this, the sight of the demons, who had been chasing them, was getting further away.

"Gasp… Gasp…"

They ran for a while and finally stopped at a park. Looking at each other's faces covered in sweat, the two soon burst into laughter.

"Puhahahahaha!!"

"Hahaha!!"

Paul and Pablo laughed so hard that tears almost came out.

"I never thought I'd experience casting on the street like this, which I've only read in books. And it's so funny that they're picking the escort knights based on their looks!"

Wiping his tears with one hand, Paul realized they were still holding each other's hands. Their held hands were glistening with sweat.

"Oh… As I mentioned previously, my hands tend to sweat a lot. I'm sorry."

Pablo, who was probably having the same thought, quickly pulled his hand away and repeatedly fanned his reddened face.

"It's alright. Rather, it's hot, isn't it?"

Paul, looking around the park for shade, soon found a cart. It was a cart with colorful ice cream models on top of the canopy.

"How about some ice cream? It's on me! I just happen to have some gold left."

"Anything Teeter-nim buys for me is okay."

"They have rainbow-colored ice cream here too. I wonder what the rainbow-colored one tastes like? What flavor would you like, Pablo-nim?"

"I'll have chocolate ice cream."

T/N: Aren't dogs allergic to chocolate???

"Chocolate? Okay~ got it."

Approaching the cart, Paul pointed his finger at the rainbow-colored ice cream and chocolate ice cream. Then he put two pieces of gold in the basket next to him. Upon the jingling sound, an imp picked up a cone and began to stack round scoops of ice cream.

The imp first handed the chocolate ice cream to Pablo. Paul then reached out his hand to get the rainbow-colored ice cream that was handed to him.

"Ah, cold!!"

The imp didn't hand the ice cream to Paul, but suddenly shoved it toward his face instead. Paul, whose nose was smeared with ice cream, exploded in anger.

"Hey, why on earth are you playing pranks on customers?"

Pablo, who had been watching Paul, quickly snatched the ice cream from the imp's hand and handed it to him.

"Here you go, Teeter-nim. Imp ice cream shops are originally famous for their mischief."

"This is why I don't like them!"

Paul, who wiped the tip of his nose with his sleeve, pouted and took a bite of ice cream. Wow… Awesome! The ice cream melted in his mouth as soon as he put it in. He had already forgiven the imp in his heart.

"Kre-kal-kly-kde-kli-kcious!” (‘Really delicious!’) said Paul. But what came out of his mouth wasn't in human language, but something completely different. ‘Eh?! What did I just say?’ Pablo chuckled as he looked at Paul's bewildered expression.

"I suppose that's the 'speaking in wisp language' effect. Ice cream sold by them also has other hidden effects."

"Kwisp-klan-kguage?!"

"That's right. Didn't I tell you before that I was learning the Wisp language? So I'm well aware of it," replied Pablo, who understood Paul's words.

"Kwhat-kshould-ki-kdo?"

"Don't worry. The effect will be gone in a few minutes at most."

Paul took a breath of relief at Pablo's words. He couldn't believe he was speaking the Wisp language that he had never even heard of! It was definitely a unique experience.

'You should try it too, Pablo-nim.' Pablo took a bite of the chocolate ice cream as Paul pointed at it.

“How is it? Can Pablo-nim also speak another language?” Paul asked in an expectant voice. But what came out of Pablo's mouth was completely unexpected.

"Teeter-nim, I like you…"

"What…?"

Before finishing his sentence, Pablo covered his mouth with a surprised look.

‘I didn't mean to confess so suddenly!’ Paul, who didn't know Pablo was in despair, smiled brightly.

"Me too! I like Pablo-nim, too. You're a friend that I like the most." Paul, whose effect had worn off, laughed and patted Pablo's arm. As a result, Pablo's hand fell from his mouth once more.

"More than a friend…!"

Pablo, who confessed again unintentionally, covered his mouth with even bigger eyes.

Why is Pablo-nim like this? Paul was puzzled by his behavior. Then, he saw the chocolate ice cream in his hand and nodded in understanding.

"Oh! I guess the ice cream Pablo-nim ate has the 'confession' effect, right?"

His deduction wasn't completely wrong. The ice cream Pablo got actually had the 'confess their true feelings to the other party' effect. Pablo nodded his head eagerly, holding back the urge to speak. 

"We've arrived at the bank, but would you like to come in a little later? It'd be embarrassing to confess to the boss."

Just as Pablo was about to nod again, the boss happened to walk out of the bank.

"Are you done with your business, boss?"

"Yeah. Did you enjoy the city tour?"

"Yes! Actually, we didn't have time to go to other places since we were at the bookstore the whole time."

"I see. But what's wrong with Pablo?"

Before Paul could answer, the boss approached Pablo, who was still covering his mouth.

"What are you doing?"

Pablo was startled and took a step back. However, the boss used his magic to instantly remove his hand from his mouth.

"Just a moment, boss!" cried Paul.

But it was too late. Pablo, who was still under the effect of the ice cream, blurted out his true feelings to the boss.

"Boss, you're so powerful and handsome that it annoys me."

"What?" The boss's eyebrows twitched. Paul hurried in between the two demons.

"It's the effect of ice cream! Pablo-nim ate the ice cream sold by the imps and got a strange effect."

"Ice cream?"

"Yes! And he said you were strong and handsome. It's a compliment!"

"How boring."

"I'm sorry."

Pablo, whose effect had just disappeared, bowed his head and apologised. The boss glanced at him and went to call a carriage without responding.

"Phew… We almost got in big trouble. But it's strange. Was what you said earlier also a confession?"

"I guess my ice cream had two effects. Hahaha…"

"I see. Wait a minute! Let's go together, boss!"

Paul, convinced by Pablo's words, ran toward the boss. Clenching his fist, Pablo smiled awkwardly and vowed not to eat the imps' ice cream ever again.