Chapter 12
“Haaa..…Why are you all gathered here..? Is it already time for dinner?"
“What have you been busy preparing for all this time? Did it not go the way you wanted.? Don't look so heartbroken. It will be difficult at first. Then you will get used to it.”
Kaneff comforted me with a light demeanour and tone of voice.
“Boss. I have a question for you.”
"What?"
I explained to him the scene I saw while communicating with Bighorn.
As the explanation continued, Kaneff's face hardened little by little.
“Most of the scenes were incomprehensible. I certainly remember the last scene. It was certainly the scene where Boss knocked down a Yakum with big horns.”
“At first I thought it was the leader of the herd Bighorn. But that isn't the case….right?”
What I saw was the memory of Bighorn.
Then, the dead Yakum in the scene of the memory is not Bighorn, but someone related to Bighorn.
"Boss. Tell me, please. What happened then ?”
“Hah….… It's no big deal."
With a long sigh, he brought up the story of the past.
“You must have heard the story of the Yakums, who broke the city in half? At that time, Yakums didn't attack the city for no reason. It's because some crooks of an organization called ‘Six Stars' kidnapped Yakum's cubs."
“……Six Stars.?”
“They kidnapped five cubs, and when I traced them, they killed all of the cubs except one as test subjects.”
“I tried to return the one baby Yakum that was alive to the Yakum herd, but the leader of the Yakum entered a state of panic when he realized that the cubs were dead.
“He went on a rampage and started destroying the city. With the damage and the number of victims in the city kept increasing, I had…… only one choice.”
I could understand the truth of the dizzying memories and the cause of Bighorn’s fear.
Bighorn had personally witnessed Kaneff, who rescued him, then murdering his parent.
“That’s it. The back story you wanted. That guy should be resenting me, so it will never enter the farm.”
I opened my mouth, thinking about the emotions in Bighorn's memory.
“I think….. Bighorn isn’t…….. afraid of the boss.”
“…..”
“He remembers you killing his parent. At the same time, he also remembers the favour when Boss saved him.”
“What do you mean by favour.? Didn’t you just hear that I killed that guy’s parent right in front of his eyes?”
“Boss….Didn’t I tell you last time? Even animals, no matter how speechless, can understand human actions and words, and Bighorn may have been aware of the situation that Boss had no choice but to do.”
“……”
There was a brief silence in the room.
Kaneff was the first to speak this time.
"So? Where are you going with this.?”
“I did everything I can do as an employee of the Farm. If anyone could change the current situation, it would only be Boss.”
I nodded my head and grabbed the doorknob.
“Did you say you owe me one for preparing your food ? I don't need money. If you can help instead, please help me this once. If you do then I can go home with no regrets."
“what…?!”
“……?”
“Why are you doing this? Why do you care about those Yakums.? You have nothing to do with this. You can just take the money and leave, then…….why?”
I was lost in thought for a moment at Kaneff's question, then opened my mouth.
“ …..When I was a kid, there would be many cows in our house. I used to grow up with them. I always thought of them as my sibling.”
"But one day all the cows died in an accident in front of my eyes screaming. I couldn’t do anything, I just stood there, seeing them filled with blood and tears.”
It wasn't just the cows that I couldn't help.
My father struggled to bring the farm back to life, but in the end, he was plagued with debt and illness.
As a student at that time, I couldn’t do anything. Once again I just stood there seeing my father suffering in pain.
Maybe here at the Demon Farm.
Maybe I wanted to make atonement for what happened in the past.
“ This time I don’t want to just stand there without doing anything. Even though it’s just a month, I consider the people here and the Yakums there as………my family.”
“Sorry….…I said too much. Please do me this one favour. And….. I made the dinner in advance, so please make sure to eat later.”
I opened the door and left the farm building without looking back.
⏩⏩⏩⏩⏩⏩
There was no sound other than the sound of spoon moving in the farm's dining table.
Kaneff, who was continuing his meal, put down the spoon a little rough.
– Tuk!
"Ah! It's terrible."
Kaneff left the dining room, leaving Lia and Andras watching.
Returning to his room alone, he lay on his bed and closed his eyes.
Normally, he would have fallen asleep quickly, but today, the thoughts kept coming to his mind and disturbed his sleep.
The conversation he had with Lim Sihyeon earlier, memories of the past, and what happened on the farm.
His agony did not allow him to rest comfortably until late at night.
⏩⏩⏩⏩⏩⏩
All of Yakum fell asleep, but the leader, Bighorn, did not sleep.
His responsibility to protect the group continued even when everyone was asleep.
‘…….!’
Bighorn felt something and got up from the comfortable position.
And he moved his feet to the place where a strong presence was felt.
“ Hey there…….long time no see."
– ….
There was Kaneff.
He kept scratching his head at how awkward this situation was.
"You seem to remember me….right.?”
-……
"I don't know what to say. I'm sorry."
Kaneff told the story one after another in front of Bighorn.
“It was unavoidable for me to kill your parent. Just as you are protecting your group right now, I also had things to protect back then.”
-…
“I don’t mean to ask you to forgive me for what happened then. However, if you have any feelings of gratitude for me, please know this.”
“The efforts that idiot is making for you guys are sincere. He looks a little young and he has a lot of gaps, but he's certainly willing to help you guys from the bottom of his heart.”
Even while hearing his long story, Bighorn didn’t do anything.
He just watched, without a reaction.
“Hah..… What am I doing now… Then I will go.”
“If you want revenge, attack me anytime.”
Kaneff turned around and stopped for a moment as he walked.
And Bighorn was still standing there without moving.
Kaneff opened his mouth and said towards Bighorn in a loud voice.
“ I heard that you were expecting a Baby…..Congrats….. on becoming a DAD. Like your father, you will also be a great father.!”
At that time.
The Bighorn, who had never responded so far, responded for the first time.
– Boo woo woo!
Kaneff turned around and waved his hands up in the air while walking.
Kaneff reached his room and once again lay on the bed.
A feeling of drowsiness came rushing in, maybe thanks to the thoughts in his head getting cleared.
He let out a long yawn and muttered as if talking to someone.
“Ahhh. Is this enough for a meal?"
“Ummm…”
⏩⏩⏩⏩⏩⏩
At the sound of my phone's alarm, I slowly lifted my eyelids.
Normally, I would have woken up before the alarm went off, but I wasn't feeling well today.
I finally turned off the alarm on my phone that was ringing in my head and went back to bed.
Yesterday, I felt like I had a hangover and my body was heavy because I used my abilities too much.
I have to go to work…
When I remembered what happened on the farm yesterday, I felt sick and dizzy.
A thought that would come to mind for all office workers by now came to me.
Shall I rest today?
After a short deliberation, I turned on the phone screen and entered Ryan's contact information.
I left a short message saying I want to have a day off today and roughly threw my phone on the bed.
As I laid myself back on the bed, the excitement and happiness of deviating from enjoying things I had never been able to do before came flooding in.
I opened my eyes again.
It was when the stomach reacted to the smell of savoury soybean stew that leaked through the door.
As I showed up, I could see the surprised expression on my mother's face.
"Oh! didn't you go to work? I thought I couldn't hear the preparations today."
"Yes. I told them I'm taking a day off today."
"Are you sick anywhere?"
“I think I’m a little tired, so I’m going to take a day off.”
“Yeah, well done. People should have days off. Hang in there. I'll prepare it for you in the morning.”
My mother hummed and prepared my breakfast after a long time as if it was a pleasure.
I sat idly on the table chair, feeling a sense of relaxation that I couldn't normally feel.
The hot soybean stew is just coming out onto the table.
Then suddenly the phone rang.
I put down the spoon I had just taken and checked my phone.
Ryan's name was displayed on the screen.
"Hello? Mr. Ryan.?”
-where are you now?
“Ah..? I’m at home. Didn’t you see the message I sent?"
-Yes I saw. But you have to come to the farm right now.
When I was told to come out out of the blue, I questioned.
“Why.? I was going to eat now. Wait, it would take maybe an hour to get ready now.”
– I'm driving my car to Sihyeon's house now.I will arrive in 5 minutes.
“What the hell is going on?”
– I don't know for sure. Mr.Kaneff said If I don't bring you right now, he will kill all the Yakums…
“What..?!”
At the shocking story, I jumped up to the point where the chair at the dining table fell.
– I came. please come out soon
“Ok. I'll just change my clothes and come right away."
I couldn't wash my hair properly, so I put on only loose clothes and passed through the gates of the demon realm with Ryan.
I was hesitantly heading towards the farm building, and I could hear Yakum's cry from afar.
‘no way……?!'
I left Ryan behind in a hurry and ran towards the farm with all my might.
In front of the farm, Kaneff, Lia, and Andras were all there.
"Ugh! Wooh! What the hell… !”
“What happened?”
“Shihyeon..!”
“Sihyeon! You are here.”
Before I could even speak to Lia and Andras, welcomed me, and Kaneff rushed towards me.
“Take those things out quickly. Otherwise, I'll get rid of them right away."
I darkened my expression at his fierce threats.
“ Did the Yakum breakout happen already.?”
“ What…..? What are you talking about? What did you eat wrong in the morning?"
"That's. I didn't eat breakfast, so…"
“Don’t say anything strange and go to the barn immediately.”
I went to the barn with a bewildered expression looking back at everyone.
When I went outside…..
I could see Hermosa crying sadly.
“Hermosa.? Why are you here?"
– Boo woo woo!
As soon as Hermosa found me, she ran up to me and expressed her delight.
Suddenly, she accepted my pampering.
Completely unable to comprehend the situation, I turned to the people who followed.
"How did this happen?"
Lia also responded with a similar expression to mine.
“I don’t know either. When I woke up in the morning, the whole group of Yakums were here. They kept crying because they were hungry, and Mr.Kaneff was very annoyed.”
“What about the foods in the bag, kept at the barn?”
“They didn’t even touch what was in the bag. I think they have been waiting for Sihyeon to come.”
I took the fruit from the bag and gave it to the Hermosa.
As if she had been patient enough, Hermosa began to eat the fruit as soon I held it in my hand.
And the cries of the other Yakum also subsided.
I got out of the barn and looked around the Yakum group.
Among them, Bighorn with a comfortable appearance was also seen.
I figured out the situation late and ran to Boss right away.
"Boss! thank you. really."
"what. Why thank me! I did nothing.”
“Anyway, thank you.”
"Ah! I don't know. You brought them all, so take good care of them. If they make such a noise again next time, I'll go crazy."
Boss let out a lot of dissatisfaction and went into the farm building.
"Congratulations. Sihyeon."
"congrats."
Andras and Lia greeted me with smiles.
And Ryan, who arrived at the farm late, stared blankly at the group of Yakum and ran towards me.
He grabbed my hand and started shaking it until my wrist started hurting.
“I believed it….I believed, If it was Sihyeon, I knew you could do it.”
"calm down. Mr. Ryan.”
"Finally. At last……, the hard work has paid off……"
Ryan wet his eyes slightly as if his emotions were rising.
At the same time, I was reminded of all the hardships I had gone through, and my heart felt proud.
– Boo woo woo!
“Yeah….coming Hermosa..!”
I went back to the barn and started feeding Hermosa.
The vivid pulse of life felt from her no longer felt uneasy.
It seemed the mother and child were happy.
I turned and looked at the barn. The lonely plain farm that was present till yesterday was gone.
It has transformed into a real Demon Farm.