I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 555

Mephisto is a fascinating country in many ways.

Their innate physical might was comparable to or even greater than that of the Elves, and their belligerence was second to none, not even the Beastfolk.

Because of this, they had caused countless incidents and accidents in the past, clashing with humans in conflicts both big and small.

Yet, curiously enough, they had never committed any massacres brutal enough to go down in history. They simply fought.

In fact, it was usually humans who committed the kind of brutal atrocities that made it into the history books.

For example, massacres, or mutations caused by magical experiments, and so on.

While they did cause plenty of minor trouble, contrary to popular belief, they rarely left a dark mark on history.

Did that mean their civilization was slow to develop? Not at all.

Given their racial trait of loving to establish hierarchies, it would have been stranger if a ’King’ hadn’t emerged.

Furthermore, civilization ironically tends to develop during times of war, not peace.

And since the Demon Race frequently waged war against humans, they ultimately achieved great advancements in magic.

And what did they do with that infinite magic?

Title) Magic of the Demon Race: Past vs. Present

(Insert picture of a muscular Shiba Inu)

Today, I slaughtered five humans with magic.

(Insert picture of a limp, helpless Shiba Inu)

Heeing. Why is the broadcast magic transmission such trash-yang T_T

↳ Surprisingly, this is a fact.

↳ Well, magic used in the military got commercialized, so lol

↳ Making fun of them like that is hilarious too. But seriously, no one can beat the Demon Race when it comes to integrating magic into daily life lol

↳ I heard they’re broadcasting nationwide by mimicking the World Tree?

↳ Yeah, but even that was originally a military jammer.

They birthed countless cultural phenomena, including sports.

It was much like the Cold War era on Earth, where the United States and the Soviet Union churned out endless technologies while competing against each other.

If they had kept fighting, the military would have held a tight grip on technology, but recently, the frequency of conflicts had dropped significantly.

In fact, it was more accurate to say that war itself had vanished.

They hadn’t signed any peace treaties or armistices, but that was just how things turned out.

So, what was daily life like for the Demon Race? Was it as grim and terrifying as their reputation suggested?

Title) Review of my visit to Mephisto

(Picture of demons welcoming the poster)

(Picture of cheering for a team alongside demons)

(Picture of food bought by demons)

(Picture taken with demons)

(Picture of demons beating up another demon)

Had a chance to visit Mephisto today.

I thought it’d be a scary place, but surprisingly, everyone was really jovial and kind.

Especially when I said I like sports, the demon hyungs bought me drinks and food.

The funny thing is, I watched from the sidelines as the demon hyungs fought each other because they supported different teams lol

↳ What’s up with them beating up another demon? Are they hooligans?

↳ No, no. The poster got racially discriminated against, so the demon hyungs beat the guy up on their behalf.

↳ ??? You got racially discriminated against? Shouldn’t you report that?

↳ Lately, the older generation of the Demon Race discriminates a lot against other races, especially humans. It must be a real headache for them.

↳ Can’t be helped. The older generation is the one that fought bloody wars against humans.

↳ I get that, but aren’t they beating him up a bit too hard?

↳ As long as they don’t touch the horns, it’s fine. The moment you touch a horn, it becomes a literal fight to the death.

↳ So, did you see many demon women?

↳ (Picture taken with a demon noona) Like this?

↳ Whoa, shit. I’m so fucking jealous. Maybe I should go to Mephisto too.

↳ Didn’t Mephisto open its borders recently because they got a taste of the tourism industry?

↳ Yeah, if you get the chance, it’s totally worth visiting at least once. There’s so much to enjoy lol

Not at all. The "toxic personality" label had mostly shifted to the Elves, and the demons now enjoyed a jovial, hearty image.

In the first place, they rarely did anything to deserve hatred. They simply fought with passion; they rarely did anything underhanded.

On the contrary, when looking at the proportions, humans were overwhelmingly guilty of such acts. There was a reason people talked about "peak humanity" in that regard.

As such, the image of the Demon Race had improved immensely compared to the past, and they were now making a name for themselves as a cultural powerhouse.

In that sense, the Hero’s visit was a highly crucial turning point for Mephisto.The source of this chapter is nоvelping.com.

It was an opportunity to shed their past image as a race that caused trouble due to uncontrollable violence and acquire a completely different reputation.

With the number of visiting foreigners already increasing by the day, the Hero’s visit served as the ultimate crowning achievement.

"Waaaaah!"

A thunderous cheer filled Thanatos, the capital city of Mephisto.

Countless crowds gathered on the streets, and in their midst, the carriage of the Holy Kingdom passed by with dignified grace.

Asella felt as though her ears would go deaf from the thunderous cheers.

Even if she visited other countries, a crowd of this size would likely gather, but this was Mephisto.

"Are all of those people members of the Demon Race?"

"Yes. That is correct."

Asella kept glancing outside the carriage at the escort knight’s reply.

The Holy Kingdom and Mephisto had been bitter enemies. Although the tension had eased with Kaylin’s visit, she couldn’t be entirely sure.

So, she had prepared herself to just accept it even if there were no welcoming crowds, but an unexpected scene unfolded before her.

What surprised Asella the most was the security. There were personnel holding back the welcoming crowds, but their numbers seemed insufficient.

Despite that, no unfortunate incidents of anyone attacking the carriage occurred, allowing them to travel safely.

’The Demon Race are masters of magic. It would be so easy for them to stage a terror attack.’

For the Demon Race, low-tier magic was as easy as breathing. They were born with immense power.

Moreover, with the older generation of demons around, there should have been a high risk of terrorism, yet miraculously, nothing happened.

’I recall seeing it in the intelligence report I received earlier. It seemed Demon King Asmode carried out a purge.’

It was merely intelligence, but it wasn’t something she could easily dismiss.

More than that, what caught her eye was the attire of the crowd. Curiously, many people were wearing sports jerseys.

And it wasn’t just one team, but several different teams. It was as if they were showcasing their status as a cultural powerhouse.

’They said a massive amount of foreign capital is actually flooding into Mephisto.’

The wealthy Basim family of Setan, who had recently sold Chaemes City, was a prime example.

However, it was said that Mephisto did not welcome the influx of Setan’s capital.

Since they had far too much money, Mephisto seemed wary of sports degenerating into a mere gambling den for Setan.

The regulations imposed by Princess Chaenggu—no, Kaylin—were also directly and indirectly related to this.

The only problem was that those regulations had produced unexpected negative side effects, drawing fierce backlash from sports fans.

"Hero-nim. We are about to arrive at the Demon King’s Castle."

As Asella was lost in thought, the escort knight informed her.

At this, Asella poked her head out of the window and took in the sight of the Demon King’s Castle.

True to its name, the royal castle exuded a somewhat dark and gloomy atmosphere.

While most castles were typically built with light-colored materials, the Demon King’s Castle was on the darker side.

It featured a fitting combination of black and navy blue, matching their skin tone and signature colors.

’It must look truly terrifying when it rains or at night.’

Did the Heroes of past generations really try to invade a place like this? She felt a renewed sense of awe.

Even though she was entering without shedding a single drop of blood, those past Heroes must have had to break through countless powerful foes.

Thus, Asella became the first Hero in history to enter the Demon King’s Castle without a fight. The moment she heard they had arrived, she let out a long breath.

’It’s okay, Asella. Just think of it as an ordinary castle, not the Demon King’s Castle.’

Of course, this was her very first time visiting another country’s castle in general.

Still, if she could just handle this visit well, nothing would be too difficult for her in the future.

Asella tapped her chest a couple of times, then even drew the sign of the cross to calm her racing heart.

After checking to make sure her Holy Sword was secure, she carefully stepped down from the carriage.

’It’s huge...’

She had felt it from afar, but standing right in front of it made it seem even more colossal.

It exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure. It looked less like a castle and more like a massive dungeon.

"Let us go inside."

"Ah. Yes."

They hadn’t actually entered yet. Hearing the attendant’s words, Asella began to walk.

Who knew walking on a lavishly laid red carpet could feel so difficult?

The closer she got to the entrance, the faster her heart thumped.

Kkiik—

Soon, the tightly shut gates of the Demon King’s Castle swung wide open.

Much like its dark exterior, the interior of the castle also had a somewhat dim atmosphere.

But it wasn’t so dark that she couldn’t see; purple-glowing candles illuminated the space brightly.

"Welcome, Hero-nim. Welcome to the Demon King’s Castle."

As Asella was looking around the castle, a lovely voice called out from ahead. It was a familiar voice.Follow the newest chapters on novelpi⁠ng.com.

When Asella looked forward upon hearing that voice, she couldn’t help but gasp in surprise.

"Wow..."

The exclamation escaped her lips automatically. Had she held back her charms a bit when she visited the Holy Kingdom?

She wore a short black dress that blended exquisitely with the unique skin tone of the Demon Race.

Though most of her ample chest was covered, its voluptuousness could not be hidden. Her shoulders were slightly exposed.

And finally, her thighs were tantalizingly revealed between the hem of her short skirt and her stockings.

She instantly understood why people grouped the Demon Race with the Elves as races of supreme beauty.

"You are truly... beautiful, Princess Kaylin-nim."

"Fuhut. Thank you."

Kaylin placed a hand over her chest and bowed politely.

Given the grand setting, every single one of her movements exuded elegance.

Could she look like that if she wore a pretty dress too? Asella suddenly found herself wondering.

"Since this is your first time at the Demon King’s Castle, I shall guide you."

"Thank you."

But she couldn’t stand there gaping forever. Asella snapped herself out of it and followed Kaylin’s lead.

As she walked behind Kaylin, a faint scent of lavender wafted over. This, too, was a scent she could never have encountered in the Holy Kingdom.

’Princess Kaylin is one thing, but the more important figure is Demon King Asmode.’

She couldn’t let herself be captivated so early on. Asella firmly steeled her resolve.

First, she was to tour various parts of the castle’s interior. As Kaylin mentioned, there had never been a case where a Hero was given a "guided tour."

That wasn’t all. The Demon King’s Castle preserved a very unique "history."

"Is that area under repair?"

Asella pointed toward a certain spot. It was a wall with prominent signs of damage.

A castle had always been the face and pride of a nation. Leaving it in such a state made no sense.

Since it bore signs of being neglected for a very long time, Asella couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

"Ah. That is the mark left behind when a Hero first invaded our Demon King’s Castle."

"A Hero, for the first time...?"

"Yes. Until then, no Hero had ever managed to reach the Demon King’s Castle. But one Hero became the first to successfully infiltrate it."

She had a feeling she knew who that was. It was about 300 years ago, probably around then.

Although that Hero hadn’t reached the Grand Master level, he was just on the cusp of it when he invaded the Demon King’s Castle.

Though he was defeated in battle, it was a historic event where he surprisingly took the Demon King down with him.

Because of this, Mephisto became far more wary of the Holy Kingdom and even learned to be cautious.

She knew that the repercussions of that event had been incredibly profound.

’Still, to leave it like that...’

Perhaps it was just the unique aesthetic sense of the Demon Race. Asella decided to just let it go.

More important than that was...

"Welcome, Hero."

Her audience with the Demon King, Asmode.

"Hmm. So this is what it feels like."

"Pardon?"

"It is my first time facing a Hero as well. As you know, the Previous Hero defeated a different Demon King."

"..."

She already had a premonition that this wouldn’t be easy. Above all...

’I really need to quit the Gallery...!’

She had inadvertently learned an uncomfortable truth.

Asella looked back and forth between Asmode, who sat upon the throne, and Kaylin, who stood beside him.

The father and daughter truly exuded an aura worthy of royalty. In both appearance and dignity, they lacked nothing.

The problem was their real-life identities. The registered accounts of these two were incredibly famous on the Gallery.

At every opportunity, they were busy bashing each other’s teams. They even hurled vicious insults about each other’s parents.

That was why she sensed she was in deep trouble. It meant they were deeply, passionately devoted to their respective teams.

’In this situation, which team should I support... to make my future easier?’

Chaeyu, or Reor?

Kaylin, or Asmode?

The future Demon King, or the current Demon King?

’O Aris-isiyeo, grant me wisdom...’

Asella was caught in a dilemma between two choices.