Little Pink Starfish

“Alright, everyone, gather around!”

As night fell, Geahrzimen called all of us, including me, into the lobby.

“Good work today! Would any of you consider being hired full-time?”

…Yeah, like that would happen.

I scowled and looked away from Geahrzimen’s gaze.

Laundry, cleaning the lodgings, preparing dinner…

Jeong Noeul and I had spent the whole day doing hard labor.

At one point, we even asked for help from the ‘Traveler from Asteroid B-612,’ but—

Why is it allowed to coat your hands in magical energy and charge at an enemy, but forbidden to help with chores?

In the end, Jeong Noeul and I had to fulfill all of Geahrzimen’s demands ourselves, just like real part-time workers.

Meanwhile, ‘The Star Hated by All’ also seemed to have been worked to the bone.

“How did I end up in this state…”

Muttering bitterly, ‘The Star Hated by All’ was now in the form of a boy, looking about elementary school age.

He wore overalls over a sweatshirt with a chick cartoon printed on it.

A few hours ago, I had seen him picking flowers and running away shyly after handing them to an elderly group of customers.

“Is he a foreigner?”

“How can a kid be so pretty?”

The elderly guests had laughed heartily, watching him.

“You doing okay…?”

I patted his head like you would a child and asked ‘The Star Hated by All.’

“…Whose crown are you patting, exactly?”

He looked genuinely offended.

“So, how was working today, everyone?”

Geahrzimen asked brightly.

“It was hard, but fun!”

Jeong Noeul and the ‘Traveler from Asteroid B-612’ both raised their hands enthusiastically.

It felt like answering a kindergarten teacher.

They really fit together.

You wouldn’t even believe that one was supposed to be monitoring the other—though apparently, that monitoring excuse was just a pretense to contract with Jeong Noeul anyway.

I was relieved to see that Noeul’s mood had improved.

Not that it would change the fact that he would continue to struggle in the future.

It was a bitter feeling, but I had done all I could.

Another side note: I was relieved that Jeong Noeul didn’t seem to harbor any resentment toward ‘The Star Hated by All.’

…We had become a shared destiny now.

“And what about our little Lucifer?”

Geahrzimen asked with a mischievous smile.

“I look forward to the day you return to hell… I’ll dismember you and put on a juggling act.”

He didn’t even hide his cruelty.

“Now, are we done with the schedule?”

I asked.

“Mm… there’s still some cleanup left, but I can take care of that easily with magic. Actually, all the work you helped with today, I usually handle it with magic.”

“…What?”

I frowned.

We had busted our backs helping because he said he was too busy talking to deal with it—and now it turned out he could’ve done it all himself?

“…You’ve got a real nasty personality.”

“Oh, come on. Wasn’t it rewarding and fun?”

Tilting his head and smiling, Geahrzimen clapped his hands.

“Now then, let’s have a party! I’ll whip up a magnificent feast! Please wait at the outdoor tables!”

…Is he seriously joking?

I rubbed my forehead.

Sure, I understood he had no intention of fighting, but still—this was absurd.

How did it come to this?

‘The Star Hated by All’ and I had definitely come here planning to kill Geahrzimen…

But after spending more than half a day working, I couldn’t bring myself to think that Geahrzimen was running the guesthouse out of malice.

He was too sincere for that.

There were lots of regulars just there to enjoy their vacation too.

I heard ‘The Star Hated by All’s voice inside my head, as if he had read my thoughts.

We exchanged glances.

‘…For now, at least.’

‘If you say so…’

I approached ‘The Star Hated by All.’

“W-What are you doing?!”

He flinched as I reached out and tugged on the strap of his overalls.

“Let go! What are you doing!”

‘It’s just…’

I spoke silently to him.

‘You’ve been pretty nice, considering all that you said.’

I let go of the strap.

Snap!

It slapped against ‘The Star Hated by All’s’ body with a satisfying sound.

“What are you doing! You damn—”

Just as ‘The Star Hated by All’ was about to shout—

“We should come to a place like this every month~!”

“You’re unbelievable…”

An elderly couple walked past.

“Hrk!”

‘The Star Hated by All’ quickly covered his mouth.

The ‘Traveler from Asteroid B-612’ said with an exasperated sigh.

“Ahaha! Back in Jeju, our shaman was so majestic!”

Jeong Noeul laughed brightly.

I smiled too.

* * *

And so, the so-called banquet—a barbecue party—began.

During the party, I heard more about why Geahrzimen was running the guesthouse.

Or rather, why he decided to stay in the human world.

Because he found it beautiful, he abandoned his goal of destruction.

Could a demon even do such a thing?

“Who knows.”

Grilling beef with a torch, Geahrzimen said.

“Demons fundamentally hate humans. You’d know that if you’ve been with ‘The Star Hated by All.’ It’s like a law of the world—like how if there’s heaven, there must be hell. But…”

He set down a plate of grilled beef in front of me.

“…Since you’re human, you must know. The laws of the world are always destined to break.”

He wasn’t wrong.

If the laws of the world had held true, Adam and Eve would still be living in Eden.

‘The Star Hated by All’ would have remained the most brilliant angel forever.

“…Is that so.”

I mumbled, resting my chin on my hand, and shifted my gaze.

<…Noeul, what does that taste like?>

The ‘Traveler from Asteroid B-612’ asked plaintively.

“Um… I can only say it’s super delicious.”

Jeong Noeul said, troubled.

“I guess it tastes like meat…?”

“Not feeling hunger must be a good thing, right?”

Jeong Noeul smiled awkwardly.

“Noeul.”

I said sternly.

“Why are you picking out only the vegetables and putting them on another plate? Eat properly. If you only eat meat, your blood will turn into oil.”

“Eunyul hyung… I didn’t think you’d be such a grumpy old man. We’re only two years apart! Act more like a kid!”

Grumbling, Jeong Noeul stuffed a piece of bell pepper into his mouth.

“Bleh! It’s like grass is growing in my mouth!”

“Ha! Then if you eat beef, you’re gonna give birth to a minotaur? Just eat it!”

I scolded and sighed.

“You know.”

Geahrzimen suddenly whispered into my ear.

“I was curious what kind of person you were.”

I scratched my ear, feeling ticklish, and looked at him.

“I don’t know how much you realize it, but forming a contract with ‘The Star Hated by All’ isn’t easy.”

“Is that so?”

I glanced at ‘The Star Hated by All.’

He was drinking wine with a fed-up look—though in his child form, it just looked like he was drinking grape juice.

“Even though he looks ridiculous, he’s still the King of Hell.”

Geahrzimen said.

“…You’ve contracted with the one who hates the Creator the most.”

“I knew that already, but… he seems to like ‘The Savior Who Is One and All’ too much for that. And above all…”

Despite his terrifying reputation, ‘The Star Hated by All’ had never committed any evil while by my side.

Sure, his words were annoying, and he bragged that he could turn the world into hell with a snap of his fingers—but his strange laziness had always given me a kind of relief.

“…Are you saying his malice is exaggerated?”

Geahrzimen asked.

I shook my head.

“Not exactly. But as his contractor… we’ve gotten along better than expected.”

“I see. But what will you do if your judgment is wrong?”

I couldn’t answer easily.

According to ‘The Star Hated by All,’ he hadn’t opened the Gates, nor had he involved himself in humanity’s past atrocities.

Sometimes, he even defended ‘The Savior Who Is One and All’s’ methods.

…But if all of that was a lie?

I had considered the possibility.

But in Jeju, he had told me:

“I have come to set right all wrongs in this world.”

And he had asked me:

“Believe in me.”

Strictly speaking, no one is completely trustworthy.

All people, even gods, carry the potential for betrayal.

If faith in gods is uncertain, how much more so with the enemy of all creation?

‘The Star Hated by All’ would always remain someone I could never fully trust.

But faith…

…is born precisely because we choose to believe, knowing betrayal is possible.

How could I take responsibility for such a feeling?

“If ‘The Star Hated by All’ betrays my faith someday…”

I said.

“…then that will be my fault.”

“Ah. I see.”

Geahrzimen nodded in understanding.

Swish—

He lowered his head, meeting my eyes.

“You’re very good at taking all the blame onto yourself.”

A coldness seemed to seep from his gaze.

“Why? I don’t understand it. Taking all the blame onto yourself. Isn’t it arrogant? You’re just one tiny human. What changes if you take the blame?”

Even as his gaze chilled, he smiled brightly, criticizing me harshly.

“Nothing changes. But humans always end up blaming themselves for everything.”

I could only answer like that.

“Not true. Humans are much better at shifting blame. The only ones who take all the blame onto themselves are gods.”

After saying that, Geahrzimen’s smile disappeared.

And he whispered:

“Do you want to become a god?”

I didn’t answer.

I had never thought of wanting to become a god—but I couldn’t open my mouth to deny it.

But Geahrzimen continued as if he didn’t need an answer.

“I’ll give it to you.”

“…Give what?”

“A piece of me. A very large piece.”

“What happens to you if you give it?”

“I’m stronger than you think. I’ll only lose a lot of magic. I’ll just get much weaker. Isn’t that what you want? To seal me so I can’t cause any havoc?”

I turned my eyes away from Geahrzimen and looked at ‘The Star Hated by All.’

Sure enough, he was looking at me too.

‘The Star Hated by All’ said in my mind.

…Alright.

I nodded.

I looked back at Geahrzimen.

He smiled and took my right hand.

“Are you ready?”

Geahrzimen asked.

“…Yeah.”

Then Geahrzimen muttered:

“I hereby declare… that the walking hell, Geahrzimen…”

A dark red light burst from his grasp.

“…is defeated here and now.”