"…Congratulations on the first anniversary of the farming declaration, Demon King!"
Bang! Pop-pop!
Magic fireworks explode loudly.
A chorus of voices cheerfully tugging at his ears.
Lively smiling faces and eyes filled with anticipation.
"Haa…"
How strange.
Once, exactly a year ago, on that particular day—
On the day I first met these guys—
They were the most terrifying beings in the world to me. I was afraid they'd kill me. Afraid they'd ambush me. Afraid I'd encounter blatant murderous intent at every turn.
I was constantly anxious, fearful—
But now…
"What's gotten into everyone?"
Kim Jangcheol unknowingly broke into a faint smile. Because if he didn't, the tenderness creeping into his expression might reveal how his heart was softening.
He quickly complained again.
"And what's all this about, huh?"
"Baal! Happy! Demon King! Farming Declaration, one-year anniversary!"
"One-year anniversary? Today?"
"Yes! Wait, isn't it?"
"…Hmm. Zephyros, the one who lured me all the way here? Care to explain yourself?"
Kim Jangcheol pressed him, feigning seriousness.
Zephyros replied, expressionless as ever.
"Yes, I did indeed lure you here."
"You did?"
"Yes."
"And why's that?"
"Because you spent the whole day lost in your own worries, making a face as if you were chewing on shit."
"…"
The Demon King flinched, struck squarely by the truth.
Looking at him, Zephyros recalled the earlier incident.
***
"I think the lord has something serious troubling him."
Zephyros had spoken those words while taking down the pot after finishing today's corn harvest.
Sunset had already fallen.
Having received orders from his lord to call it a day, instead of returning to his personal farmhouse, he sought out the Four Heavenly Kings, who were busy organizing the field. He'd added this:
"He's had a sour look on his face all day."
"A sour look? The Demon King?"
"Yes, exactly."
As Zephyros nodded, Hartok, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, questioned him with a stern look.
"Could you explain more clearly?"
"He's making a face as if he's chewing shit. The wrinkles on his forehead have multiplied. His brow is deeply furrowed. Consequently, he's uglier than usual."
"…Hmm, this clearly isn't ordinary."
"Yes. I suspect it has something to do with the corn harvested today."
"The corn?"
"Yes."
Hartok paused, pondering.
Baal shouted from the side:
"Baal! I get it!"
"…You know why?"
"The Demon King! He's surely worrying about secretly eating all the corn by himself! Definitely!"
"…"
Everyone ignored Baal.
Hartok asked again.
"In my opinion, he must have noticed some issue with the corn harvested this time. Am I right?"
"Yes, Lord Hartok. I think so too."
"If that's the case… it's probably the seed issue again."
"That seems likely."
Hartok's guess appeared correct.
Indeed, this season's corn had grown excessively large compared to those previously brought from Daparachia. Something about it clearly wasn't normal. Every time he saw them, last season's super-potatoes came to mind.
"That's why the Demon King has been pondering alone all day."
"Hence the sour face."
"Yes. Perhaps we should help in some way."
Zephyros honestly shared his thoughts.
Looking back, his lord always behaved like this.
Whenever something occurred, he acted the same way.
Worrying alone.
Struggling alone.
Frowning alone.
Always trying to bear everything himself.
Even when impossible, he'd still try until the very end.
"I think the Abandoned Land also needs a proper system. And that system should rely on efficient delegation of roles. But our lord stubbornly tries to handle everything himself. I believe this isn't healthy."
"Hmm, you're right. We should indeed share his burden and think together."
"Exactly, Lord Hartok. Lord Asurat and Lady Sirgi, do you have other suggestions?"
"Me? First, we should cheer him up."
"To cheer him up, Asurat, it'd be quickest if you got struck by lightning."
"Don't joke around, Sirgi. Why me?"
"You're Lightning Rod Number One, aren't you?"
"Hah. Do you see me as a joke? Not all lightning rods are the same. I'm an honorable office worker with fixed hours. Besides, it's past quitting time."
"So you don't get struck by lightning at night?"
"Of course not."
"Then what about overtime and all-nighters?"
"…Could you stop mentioning such horrible things?"
Asurat's complexion turned pale.
Sirgi smiled with satisfaction.
Watching their bickering, Zephyros suddenly had an idea.
"…I agree with the idea of cheering up our lord. How about luring him here and throwing him a surprise event?"
"Baal! Surprise! Good!"
"Yes, I also think that would be nice."
"But under what pretext would we hold this surprise?"
"Hmm, that's what I'm a little unsure about, Lord Hartok."
"Baal! I thought of something!"
"Yes, please tell us."
"Farming Declaration, one-year anniversary!"
"…Well, that's still about half a month away."
"Let's move it forward!"
"…Wouldn't that diminish the essential meaning of the anniversary?"
"Baal! Doesn't matter! Happy is good!"
Eventually, Baal's idea received unanimous approval.
So they executed the plan, lured their lord, and succeeded—and now here they were.
"…Also, following everyone's opinion that a surprise event should be as lively as possible, we've invited the 3rd Star Master, Lady Artanis, Lord Largo, Veloce, and Lord Andante as well."
"Tbong!"
"Oh, and Lord Tbong as well."
"..."
Kim Jangcheol looked around at everyone.
Zephyros, who had just finished explaining the entire situation.
Behind him, Baal continuously beamed from ear to ear.
Hartok, who had launched the magic fireworks, was visibly struggling to hide the satisfied smile forming beneath his mustache. Meanwhile, Asurat and Sirgi were busy bickering over who would sprinkle the corn leaf powder, each gripping the basket fiercely.
'Even the 3rd Star Master and Artanis' group have joined.'
The 3rd Star Master clapped rhythmically by clicking their shells together.
Artanis, on the other hand, was clearly uncomfortable in this kind of festive atmosphere, the exposed part of her face not hidden by her seal artifact turning beet-red.
And what of her loyal attendants?
Each of them was energetically strumming their instruments—completely artless, without intention or skill, their music out of tune and rhythmically mismatched. Yet somehow, it sounded freer and more joyful because of its disorder.
Maybe that's why.
"Haa…"
He let out another soft chuckle.
Again, the thought struck him as strange.
'A one-year anniversary…'
Once, exactly a year ago.
Back when he'd first met these beings.
They had been the most terrifying creatures in the world to him. He'd been wary of them more than anyone else. Constantly fearful they might reveal their true nature, worried they'd ambush him at any moment.
Always anxious, always tense.
But now…
"…Right, thank you."
Ultimately, Kim Jangcheol allowed himself a soft smile again.
Suddenly, he recalled something else.
That was…
"A one-year anniversary, huh? Come to think of it, we didn't really celebrate after harvesting the potatoes last season either."
Looking back, it was true.
Of course, they had rejoiced at harvesting the potatoes.
But at the time, they were too busy clearing the wreckage of the Demon King's castle, rushing around to stop the Fourth Star Master's unauthorized invasion of the human world.
So, there had been no special celebration.
It was just—"We harvested potatoes, hooray!"—and then it had quickly passed by.
This time, he suddenly thought, they shouldn't let that happen again.
"I heard that humans have something called holidays."
"…Holidays, you say?"
"Yeah."
Kim Jangcheol nodded, then turned to address everyone.
"Especially after finishing the autumn harvest, they celebrate certain holidays. Like Thanksgiving things like that."
"Thanksgiving… I've never heard of those."
"Of course not. We're the first ones in history to successfully farm in the Abandoned Land."
"The first in history…"
"Yes. That alone makes it worth celebrating. Especially considering all the effort we've put into working the fields and harvesting the fruits of our labor ourselves."
Indeed.
How much sweat had they shed together?
How much effort had they put forth?
Therefore, a holiday celebrating their harvest would be a comfort and a celebration directed toward themselves—
A message that they had worked hard.
A recognition of their struggles.
A declaration that they had succeeded this year too.
That they had successfully completed their farming again this season.
So, for today at least, they could happily eat and drink without worry.
"…Therefore, from now on, this day every year will be our own special holiday."
"Baal! Holiday good! Exciting!"
"Then, my lord? What will we name this autumn holiday of ours?"
Zephyros asked.
After thinking briefly, Kim Jangcheol replied.
"Farming Declaration Day?"
"…Ah, strictly speaking, there are still two weeks until… mmph, mmph!"
Zephyros's excessively pedantic, capital-T style objection was swiftly suppressed(?). Thus, through everyone's collective agreement that "good enough is good enough," their first Farming Declaration Day holiday was officially declared.
"Everyone gather! Eat! Pour! Drink!"
They summoned the farming corps members, legion soldiers, and even their families.
The corn harvested and steamed today filled the tables. There were baked potatoes, steamed potatoes, and dried potatoes scattered everywhere.
That was all.
Only corn and potatoes covered the table.
A meal prepared with recipes so humble they bordered on shabby.
Yet for the demons of the Abandoned Land, this alone was more than enough to bring happiness.
Just remembering the days when they had starved daily still brought tears to their eyes. Today, they felt thankful they no longer had to chew on the raw flesh of their deceased family and friends. Such a meal would've been unimaginable back then.
Thus, they comforted each other for the sweat they had shed.
They reflected on the days gone by.
They recalled the time when they'd first planted seeds. They remembered each day they'd spent eagerly checking how tall the corn had grown.
As they bit into the fruits of their collective labor, they secretly wiped away their tears, hiding them behind smiles, then blushing in embarrassment when their neighbors caught them. And upon seeing the same tears in each other's eyes, they laughed loudly and cheerfully together.
It was a festival, a true holiday.
And on this day, commemorating the occasion, Kim Jangcheol fulfilled the promise he had made to everyone at the start of the season.
"Today, we will tally the praise stickers you've collected thus far and elect the new Second Star Master and Fourth Star Master!"
Soon, Tbong stepped forward before everyone. The counting of praise stickers issued throughout the season began.
And shortly thereafter, a shocking result was announced.