TPDGR 20

Chapter 20…

I tucked the mirror under my arm and stepped out of the secret room.

The treasure? That was mine to begin with, so I could come back for it later.

Something else was urgent.

“First, I need to find the exit.”

I walked down the long corridor.

In horror movies, the people who wander around looking for their missing friends in places like this were always the ones I never understood.

But now that I was actually in that situation, I couldn’t endure it without walking around and figuring out what was going on.

Hopefully nothing would suddenly jump out at me in the hallway… right?

“If something comes out, I’ll just smash it with the mirror.”

[Excuse me.]

I pressed forward, one hand brushing against the uneven wall in the pitch darkness.

If a ghost appeared in front of me again like earlier… I really might faint this time.

Clutching the mirror so tightly that it seemed like it might scream from the pressure, I kept moving forward.

Then I stopped.

[Lord Demon King, what’s wrong?]

“Shh.”

Leaning against the wall, I hushed the mirror.

‘That sound…’

Step, step.

Footsteps.

But should I be glad?

Were those footsteps coming from Griffith’s group searching for me?

The sound came from ahead and grew louder as it approached.

Gulp.

I swallowed hard and stared into the darkness.

If things went bad, I was ready to drop the mirror and run.

That’s how serious my state was.

Step. Step.

Instinct told me—
Whoever was coming, it wasn’t Griffith’s party.

Expecting the worst, I clutched the mirror with both hands, nearly in tears.

[Save me!!]

“If a ghost pops out, it’s you or me, buddy.”

[Ugh!!]

Holding my breath, I waited for whatever it was to get closer.

If it was human, fine.
If it was a ghost, begone.

The footsteps drew nearer.

This was it.

“Die!!”

Even though it was probably already dead, being a ghost!

I raised the mirror with both hands and swung it down—

And then—

Clack. My hand was caught.

Ahh! A g-ghost grabbed me…!

“What are you doing here?”

The voice came from higher up than I expected. My eyes reflexively looked up.

“Han Hyunjin…?”

I barely made out his features in the darkness.

At that moment, light flared to life.

A strange lighter sparked, its flame devouring the dark.

Han Hyunjin’s face became clearer.

Pale skin, pitch-black pupils. Deep-set eyes.

My own reflection shimmered in those black eyes.

“Everyone’s been looking for you.”

“You came in here again?”

This guy treated other people’s dungeons like his living room.

He loosened his grip on my wrist—
Not that it had been painful to begin with.

Looking at his face, you’d think he had overwhelming strength, the type to treat a demon king as nothing. But I could feel he was holding back, adjusting his strength carefully.

So he knew I was about to smash him with the mirror.

Han Hyunjin wasn’t exactly someone I wanted to see, but in this creepy, dark place, his presence was oddly reassuring.

“I was running and fell into a hole, ended up here. What about the others?”

“If you mean the hero and the orcs, they’re searching for you on the other side.”

So they were looking hard for me after all.

“Let’s go.”

With my hands free, I tucked the mirror back under my arm.

“I came to keep a promise, but it turned into chaos. The saint said you’d suddenly vanished, so she was talking things over with the orcs.”

“Ah, right.”

I didn’t know how long I’d been gone, but I had clearly worried them.

Before I knew it, I was walking alongside Han Hyunjin in the direction he’d come from.

“By the way, what promise?”

Did we even make a promise?

As I asked absentmindedly—

Grrrgle.

My stomach roared like thunder.

Ugh. My demon king pride.

I was sure I heard the mirror mutter, “What was that sound?” from under my arm.

Quickly pressing a hand to my empty stomach, I noticed Han Hyunjin’s gaze shift there.

Then he rummaged inside his coat.

Wait—
Was he planning to finish me off here…?

Didn’t he know you don’t mess with a starving beast?

The mirror’s prophecy flashed through my mind:

Kill or be killed. Or else, capture and make them submit.

But how exactly was I supposed to make this guy submit?

In the glow of the lighter flame, his sharp profile came into view.

Then he pulled something out and held it toward me.

“This.”

I cautiously accepted what he handed me.

Slosh, slosh.

A bag of warm broth, tied up in plastic.

“Wait, this is—!”

Fish cake soup!

Han Hyunjin had brought fish cake soup into my dungeon.

The cloudy brown broth, the curled fish cakes floating inside—
And it was still warm.

The sight made my mouth water instantly.

So this was the promise.

That he’d bring soup next time.

“Hungry?”

“Starving.”

For some reason, my chest tightened.

When it came to food, I was always softhearted.

Besides, I didn’t know how many hours had passed since I’d blacked out—
My stomach felt glued to my spine.

The growling continued, but I didn’t even feel embarrassed anymore.

Han Hyunjin studied me, then pulled something else from his coat.

“This!”

Tteokbokki.

Wrapped in a black plastic bag.

The spicy-sweet aroma hit my nose, and a wave of emotion washed over me.

Street stall tteokbokki!

I quickly sat down and fumbled with the bag.

“Eat. I’ll go get the others.”

“What? You’re leaving me here alone?”

As I untied the plastic and carefully opened it, Han Hyunjin suddenly turned to leave.

“Wait.”

With a chopstick in my mouth, I hurriedly grabbed his hand. I hadn’t even realized I was doing it.

He flinched, but unlike the typical male lead who’d sharply shake off a touch, he didn’t.

He just looked down at my hand, as if asking why.

“Uh, don’t go. Stay here too.”

“Why?”

“Well…”

Saying it was because I was scared would be humiliating.

I’m the demon king.

He’s a hunter.

A demon king afraid of ghosts would look pathetic.

I cleared my throat and spoke solemnly.

“If we move around, we might get separated again. Better to just sit here.”

“……”

Han Hyunjin stared silently at me.

Had he caught on that I was scared?

But instead of refusing, he surprisingly sat down beside me.

He only leaned against the wall, but somehow it felt distracting.

No matter.

I’d already held him back—
Time to focus on the urgent matter.

I tossed the mirror aside and popped a rice cake into my mouth.

“Mmm! Mmm!!”

“Good?”

“Mhm!”

Before eating, I’d thought about saving some for the others.

But the moment I tasted that spicy kick with a hint of sweetness at the end, my hands grew frantic.

Shoving more rice cakes into my mouth, I glanced at Han Hyunjin.

He kept staring at me, like he was waiting for something.

Maybe praise?

Fine. Just this once.

“You’re really a good guy, Han Hyunjin.”

“…Just because of food?”

“Yep.”

“…I see. Eat slowly.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Time passed, and soon I had devoured every last bit of the tteokbokki he’d brought.

It had been a lot, but I polished it off in no time, leaving me comfortably full.

Han Hyunjin, on the other hand, just stared at me, almost stunned.

“You finished all that?”

“It was nothing. Next time, bring more.”

He looked silently at the nearly empty bag, only a little broth left.

Then—

“Heh.”

“?”

…He laughed?

Startled, I rubbed my eyes and looked at him again.

But he’d already shut his mouth, face expressionless again.

Like a spot-the-difference puzzle—he’d clearly laughed, then immediately reset.

Still, it felt like tossing a stone into a calm lake, ripples spreading in my mind.

And I remembered what the mirror had said:

You must make Han Hyunjin submit.

If I could make him kneel, I wouldn’t have to live in constant fear of him killing me.

But the word submit sounded strangely loaded.

I shifted slightly closer to him and picked up the discarded mirror.

“Mirror, mirror.”

[Yes.]

I whispered quietly so Han Hyunjin wouldn’t hear.

“About what you said earlier. Making him submit. What exactly does that mean? What counts as full submission? There must be some kind of marker. A proof.”

[Hmm, a proof…]

The mirror paused, then spoke.

[Receive a kiss.]