Chapter 10: The Forest of the Four Seasons (5)

In the world there are many races, but if one must choose the one most specialized in “combat,” everyone answers in unison.

That is the demonic race.

Even the demons themselves admit it.

Horns that sprout from the head and bluish-toned skin.

Inverted eyes that clearly contrast with those of other races.

An innate body that handles mana naturally.

And magic of overwhelming power compared to the rest.

All of that combined makes them be called the race of demons, and like true demons, they live faithful to their desires.

Title) I’ll give you a history lesson about the continent

Before, the demons caused chaos; now the elves are the ones doing it.

End of the history lesson!

ㄴ It’s true, if you look at history the demons were brutal thugs

ㄴ There’s a reason a hero appears in every era, hahaha

ㄴ If you don’t control these guys, the world goes to hell, hahaha

ㄴ What kind of life do demons live?

In the distant past, for living devoted to their desires, they were famous for their extreme brutality.

Their violence was so severe that, to eliminate and contain the Demon King, a Hero arose in every generation.

The Demon King is the king of Mephisto, the demonic nation, and the Hero is a warrior raised directly by humans.

Noble character and exceptional talent.

Devout faith.

And immense sacred power obtained in proportion to it.

With all that combined, in the past countless conflicts took place between the

Demon King and the Heroes, leaving numerous victims.

But after a conflict prolonged for so long, did they grow tired?

Or did they simply get fed up?

Title) Since when did the demons come to their senses?

For some time now they’ve been very quiet

ㄴ Since they said fighting was boring and started that weird ball game

ㄴ Hey, don’t call it weird! If you say that to a demon they’ll tear you apart

ㄴ These guys take the ball game surprisingly seriously, hahaha

ㄴ It’s not that they came to their senses. They once killed a player for scoring an own goal, hahaha

ㄴ That’s crazy, that’s crazy

ㄴ Is that why “own goal” started being called “goal in one’s own net”?

ㄴ That’s why in Mephisto player protection is very strict

The demons intensely desired a different form of combat from fists.

They wanted something just as thrilling and tense as a battle.

Hitting each other body to body had already become boring to them.

Thus, putting wars against the Heroes in the background and after researching again and again, they ended up creating a culture.

Soccer, baseball, basketball, rugby, American football.

That is to say, ball sports, sports.

At first even the demons themselves felt ridiculous.

Before, they preferred fighting. What was this about playing with a ball?

Having gladiators fighting to the death, why choose ball games?

However, with the passage of time and the development of society and laws, violence began to become a taboo.

And above all, entertainment was lacking.

When a race lives with a certain mental comfort, it seeks leisure.

And having no alternatives, the demons had no choice but to take it seriously.

Thus, excluding drugs and betting, the demons obsessed with releasing dopamine ended up completely hooked on that simple “ball game.”

Title) So you can see how seriously they take it

If you mock them saying that fighting is easy, they laugh and let it pass. Why? Because they know they are stronger.

They have always been on the level of the elves; they are strong by nature.

But if you mock the ball game?

That’s when they attack with intent to kill.

Especially in soccer, since humans won the championship, their pride was shattered, hahaha

ㄴ How do you know that?

ㄴ I mocked a demon while playing futsal and he broke my arm

ㄴ hahaha

ㄴ hahaha

ㄴ You had it coming

ㄴ Did they pay your medical expenses?

ㄴ Yes, but he told me not to say that to other demons again. That I could really die

ㄴ Do they take it that seriously? hahaha

At first, as expected, it was a culture exclusive to demons.

The other races showed no interest whatsoever.

With demons casting magic and attacking territories, who was going to accept their culture?

However, ironically, the first race to adopt it was the human race.

Humans, who had suffered more than anyone in the long wars against the demons.

Why?

Because human life is short.

Generational turnover is much faster than in other races.

The generations that remembered the brutal demons disappeared, and only those who remembered idiots obsessed with the ball game remained.

Thus, exchange with the demons gradually increased, and by accepting their culture, humans pulled off a master move.

Title) From the demonic point of view, this is checkmate

Humans: If we have a problem, let’s solve it with the ball game. After all, you are very strong, right?

Demons: Ok, ok, we accept

Humans: But you know it doesn’t look good to make a fuss if you lose, right?

Demons: Why would we lose? Haha

Ten years later

Humans: We won, idiots

Demons: Shit, war

Humans: Are you going to start a war over losing a ball game? Don’t you have pride?

Demons: Damn it’s bullshit, but we have nothing to say

ㄴ hahaha, they can’t do anything

ㄴ Does diplomacy really work like that?

ㄴ It’s summarized, but it’s pretty accurate, hahaha

Demons are a race with pride as strong as that of the elves.

In the past they abused their innate strength to oppress other countries, but that was in the era of barbarism.

Although they spread sports culture throughout the world and their image improved, their pride remained intact.

And humans, cunning, knew how to carefully touch that pride to obtain benefits.

In the end, the demons fell into a contradiction and, with no other option, focused on diplomacy.

Title) A key fact here

If there had been no heroes, the demons would have started a war anyway

ㄴ That’s a fact

ㄴ It’s only possible because both sides have similar forces

ㄴ And what are the elves doing?

ㄴ Those guys stayed watching with their arms crossed

ㄴ It’s because Mephisto is near human territory

ㄴ Those damn elves never help

ㄴ And now it’s the elves who are causing trouble, right?

ㄴ What did we humans do wrong?

ㄴ Our ancestors founded the country badly, hahaha

ㄴ We are surrounded by countries of other races, hahaha

Of course, all of this was said half in jest.

Sport remained sport.

But by allowing different races to compete equally and fairly, its popularity skyrocketed.

A confrontation where the use of mana is forbidden and only the body and pure skill count.

And above all, the chivalrous spirit in keeping with the era, sportsmanship, which awakened romanticism.

Title) What advantage do dwarves have?

In soccer and basketball they are very short.

In rugby and American football they don’t have the physique.

In baseball the strike zone is ambiguous.

So what can they do?

ㄴ DwarfPassingBy) Make the balls, idiot

ㄴ hahaha

ㄴ haha

ㄴ Do they pay well?

ㄴ DwarfPassingBy) In big tournaments you earn a ridiculous amount

ㄴ Were dwarves making the balls even back then?

ㄴ No, they say they used to use human heads

ㄴ Shit…

Although dwarves were at a physical disadvantage and could not enjoy it directly, they obtained many secondary benefits.

From the manufacturing of balls and uniforms to all kinds of tools.

As the era allowed it, all detailed work ended up in the hands of the dwarves.

Thus, with rapid industrialization and commercialization, and the holding of tournaments, Mephisto transformed into a cultural nation.

An entertainment that allows one to feel joy, anger, sadness, and pleasure just by watching.

And at the same time, a drug capable of driving people crazy.

Title) Something curious about beastmen

They are the race that loves baseball the most, the calmest, and American football, the most violent.

Why?

ㄴ Suspiciously) What are you talking about? In baseball they smash your head with a bat

ㄴ Damn, that’s already a full-on brawl, hahaha

ㄴ Bench clearing, hahaha

ㄴ Beastmen have tough bodies, so even if that happens they’re fine, hahaha

Although it varies by country and race which sport is more popular, the fact that Mephisto is the origin does not change.

That is why, in Mephisto, sports are completely integrated into daily life.

An entertainment enjoyed by everyone regardless of age, sex, or status.

“Did he really miss that?! Are you fucking with me?!”

Not even the high-ranking figures of Mephisto were an exception.

A woman of outstanding beauty despite possessing the characteristic blue skin and inverted eyes of demons.

Her hair, black as night, shone with luster, and the curved horns sprouting from her head gave her a subtle charm.

And to top it off, a body capable of igniting the heart of any man.

She had no flaws.

“Blah. Even I would’ve scored that.”

The princess of Mephisto and heir to the throne of the next Demon King, Keirin Rondel Archive.

While watching the soccer match projected on a magical transmission sphere, she let out a string of curses.

Since the birth of sports, Mephisto had developed various magics to properly industrialize them.

The transmission magic Keirin was watching was part of that. Moreover, its range was quite wide.

“Does that trash really cost one hundred billion yura? Do the higher-ups of Chayu have their eyes in their asses?”

Keirin clicked her tongue and frowned elegantly. Her expression was filled with displeasure.

As princess of Mephisto, she was a figure revered by countless people.

Thanks to her innate power and position, she suffered almost no political pressure.

Because of that, if there was something she didn’t like, she could apply pressure whenever she wanted.

But the moment sports were involved, the matter became serious.

‘I understand there’s no other option, but it’s still frustrating.’

The owner of a club could be a noble.

But bringing that into the political arena meant immediate expulsion.

It wasn’t written into law, but it was an unwritten rule.

Sports were not just for nobles, but a culture shared by everyone.

Except in unavoidable situations like war, not even the upper echelons could exercise absolute control.

At most they could regulate it at the policy level, but any greater interference was impossible.

[The match is over! Chames United loses at home 2–1!]

[Today Mos Village will be celebrating. They are one step away from the long-awaited Challenger League.]

[Meanwhile, Chames United barely manages to stay on the table. What will coach Horen do…?]

“Damn it.”

Tap.

Keirin abruptly turned off the transmission magic.

A match they had practically won was ruined by a red card.

For a while she covered her face with her hands, then silently lowered them.

With an absent expression, she accessed the gallery.

[Chayu is trash! Chayu is trash! Chaegung is trash!]

[The Chayu are trembling~ the Chayu are trembling with rage~]

[???: Is it time to suck it now?]

[Chayu eliminated, hahaha]

As soon as the match ended, the crazies began to pop up in the gallery.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Keirin let out an empty laugh and wrote a post.

Title) Butt exposure

PrincessChangu

(photo of an emblem engraved with a deer)

This is my butt

ㄴ hahaha, did Chayu lose today?

ㄴ PrincessChangu) Ah, those bitches died after conceding two goals only in stoppage time, hehehe

ㄴ hahahahahaha

ㄴ No wonder so many mental patients came out

Keirin wrote the post and stood up from her seat.

Her head was too hot; she needed to cool off.

‘Before that, I need to tidy up the room.’

She looked around.

From Chames United jerseys to replica trophies.

The room was filled with Chayu-related items.

It was, literally, the room of someone completely obsessed with soccer.

And that was exactly the case.

Snap!

With a snap of her fingers, all the objects disappeared.

Only an empty, desolate space remained.

Originally, that place had been a training hall.

A private training ground designed exclusively for Keirin.

After looking at the empty space several times, she lowered her gaze.

She wasn’t wearing an imposing dress, but a simple, ordinary outfit.

It was a shirt with the name of a player who had been a Chayu legend.

Snap!

With another snap, the outfit transformed into a beautiful black dress.

Everything was done through magic.

Normally, an incantation would be required, but Keirin didn’t need one.

She could activate magic with gestures alone.

After carefully checking that there were no problems, she headed for the exit.

There stood a door filled with security spells and locking mechanisms.

Click!

Keirin deactivated all the seals and went out.

Outside, a middle-aged butler awaited her, accompanied by knights.

“Good work, princess. Have you finished your training already?”

“Yes. You’ve worked hard as well.”

“It’s nothing. Serving the princess is my duty.”

The butler bowed deeply.

Keirin walked past him and patted his shoulder.

A way of saying good job.

The butler’s expression filled with emotion.

A warmth that could not be found in the current Demon King.

That warmth was something that attracted people.

An environment in which it would not be strange for her to become arrogant as the future Demon King.

Moreover, her individual power was among the top five on the continent.

Even so, Keirin was not arrogant, and her character was kind.

Some might think that’s nothing special.

But one must remember that these are demons.

Furthermore, although her way of speaking was rigid, Keirin was kind and considerate toward everyone, not just the butler.

‘But she seems to be in a bad mood today. Did she get nothing out of her training?’

The butler thought this as he followed her.

After serving her for so many years, he could read her emotional state.

Today she was in a very bad mood.

Very.

At times like this, it was best to stay silent.

Even kinder than other demons, Keirin was still a demon.

If you touched a nerve, magic would fly.

‘Even if control training is only once or twice a week, it must be exhausting.’

Demons are an aggressive race, not very different from beastmen.

They like combat where a winner and a loser are decided.

In the past, that translated into violence that caused great damage.

But not now.

As violence became taboo, emotional control became crucial.

The higher one’s status, the more important it was, because a single outburst could ruin everything.

That is why emotional training is vital and painful.

‘Damn it, seriously. What a piss-off. How the hell do you concede two goals only in stoppage time?’

Keirin had indeed trained emotional control.

But in a rather unconventional way.

As a hardcore Chames United fan, just watching matches caused her emotions to spiral out of control.

Before, when she lost control, she destroyed the training hall whenever she could.

But not now.

Now she could think.

‘Bah, idiots. It was to be expected.’

And move on.

At least her mental fortitude was gradually approaching the level of a saint.

‘Why am I a Chayu fan?’

Back in her bedroom, Keirin lay down on the bed and recalled the past.

How she had ended up becoming a soccer fan, and more specifically a Chayu fan.

Originally, she lived a life far removed from soccer.

No matter how widespread the culture was, she belonged to high society.

Moreover, soccer was a sport that had become popular from the lower classes, which generated a certain rejection among the elite.

But the capital that arises from culture is something even the nobility cannot control.

And culture, by nature, cannot be suppressed; when it is, it spreads even more.

‘If I hadn’t had this, it would have been much worse.’

That was what she was taught during her education.

That soccer was something watched by ignorant people with nothing better to do.

But the truth was that many club owners were nobles.

Only some old-fashioned aristocrats, including certain members of royalty, despised it.

Even they had a good opinion of sports in general, but only hated soccer.

That was why Keirin also did not look kindly upon it until she gradually fell for it.

The cause was the gallery.

Everything changed when she accessed it by chance.

Knowledge she had never had growing up like a greenhouse flower, and the subtle addiction that only soccer could provoke.

For Keirin, born a demon, it was like trying a new type of drug.

That was how she naturally ended up supporting Chames United, her local team, and adopted the nickname PrincessChangu in the gallery.

‘Damn it, it pisses me off not being able to go to the stadium.’

But Keirin did not show it in real life. It was due to a political problem.

Can something like soccer become a political problem? One might think that.

If analyzed strictly, it was closer to a generational conflict.

Although not as much as elves, demons have fairly long lifespans.

Because of that, generational turnover is slow, and many of the older generation who remember the brutality of the past still remain.

That older generation still clings to power, which complicates the political situation.

One generation that considers splendor stained with violence as honor, and another that came to know a new form of entertainment called sports.

When the two generations collided, the nobles could not ignore it.

And since soccer was the most popular, it inevitably became politically involved.

‘Why did I do that? I just wanted ChamesCity not to grow…’

On the surface, Keirin was considered part of the generation distant from soccer.

The reason was a policy she pushed to limit to some extent the golden money of Setan.

She was annoyed that those damn dark elves were buying famous clubs with money, and above all, the matter of an uncomfortable brother weighed heavier.

Chaemaster City, which had originally been in the third division, rapidly rose as a powerhouse after receiving golden money.

They even lifted the trophy in the largest tournament in the world last year.

Meanwhile, Chayu was dragging itself along. Its pride was completely shattered.

For Keirin, it was impossible not to feel rage. So she spoke just once.

Title) Poll: the person a Chayu fan hates the most

1. The Medes family

2. Princess Keirin

ㄴ I know the Medes family, but why Princess Keirin?

ㄴ Because of her the acquisition process became more difficult. Otherwise, Chayu would have sucked up golden money too, right?

Title) It was more or less like this

Medes family: We’re selling Chayu ~ Now on sale!

Setan: Oh! We’ll buy it! We pay!

Keirin: Hell no! Don’t even dream of it! Policy approved instantly!

Medes family: Ah, with that policy we’ll have to raise the price, hehe

Setan: Damn it, we won’t buy it

ㄴ hahaha now I get it

ㄴ But what Keirin said is understandable too, right?

ㄴ It’s divided. But for Chayu fans she’s a mortal enemy, hahaha

ㄴ Doesn’t Keirin hate soccer?

ㄴ There’s no official stance, but it seems so

For Keirin, it was something that made her boil with rage.

Her love for soccer, and even more for Chayu, was genuine.

If she had total freedom, she would go to the stadium every week.

She would even become a hooligan and start riots.

Since she couldn’t, she secretly bought uniforms and related merchandise to calm herself.

That said, every time she watched a match her anger flared up.

But let’s leave that.

‘Just wait until I become Demon King. I’ll go wearing the uniform proudly.’

Sports, based on soccer, are an area that not even the Demon King can touch.

Touching it would be equivalent to confronting the people.

The terror of culture, and a kind of side effect.

That is why not only demons, but other races were also trapped by it.

To develop that culture, countless magics were invented.

Transmission magic is one example.

Ironically, Mephisto advanced more toward cultural victory than toward military conquest.

‘None of that would matter if they hadn’t recruited so badly.’

Keirin sighed inwardly and put on a defeated expression.

She was not the imposing princess, but a restless Chayu fan.

To calm that mood, the gallery was the best option.

There were still days until the next match.

‘WildGrills, why did this human fall into the Forest of the Four Seasons?’

Before the match she used to write about Chayu or post nonsense.

But lately it was different.

Among countless posts, WildGrills’s texts stood out.

He was the one who claimed to have fallen into the Forest of the Four Seasons.

At first she didn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe it.

But over time she couldn’t help becoming interested.

Especially because the number of recommendations far exceeded those of other posts.

That was the main reason.

‘From another world? Don’t make me laugh.’

It could be a concept or a lunatic, but it was enough to spark interest.

In any case, she had nothing better to do until the next match.

So, for entertainment and to help a little, she gave him a compass.

[PrincessChangu: Then support our Chayu. That’s enough.]

[WildGrills: I don’t know this world very well. What team is Chayu?]

“W-What?!”

Keirin was horrified.

How could he not know the famous Chayu?

If it were some rural backwater, she could understand.

But Grills was a gallery user.

Ninety percent of users are abnormal, and among them the most conspicuous are sports fans.

Sports fans aren’t just crazy, they’re rotten.

There were even extreme cases where they reached enlightenment and became buddhas.

“He doesn’t know Chayu? Then I’ll have to teach him.”

Keirin preached the greatness of Chayu and even gave him uniforms.

Grills, a bit uncomfortable, accepted them.

But Keirin didn’t stop there.

She said she would upload a special and posted a special Chayu video.

The gallery has a storage function and allows external videos to be brought in.

That is why sports highlights are periodically uploaded.

How much time passed since she uploaded the special?

Title) From today I’m a Chames United fan

(Photo giving a thumbs up toward the uniform on the ground)

Thank you PrincessChangu. Now I worry less about clothes.

ㄴ Ah… the whole world is Chayu…

ㄴ Of all teams, Chayu, hahaha

ㄴ He’s alone anyway, doesn’t it not matter?

ㄴ Better than walking around naked

ㄴ From today this is the Chames United gallery

Satisfactory. Very satisfactory.

Keirin smiled proudly upon seeing Grills’s post.

From today on, one more Chayu fan. Even if he is in the Forest of the Four

Seasons, a fan is a fan.

Nothing satisfied her more.

‘If the fan dies, Chayu will also be saddened. So I must support him so he doesn’t die.’

If a fan is saddened, Chayu is saddened, and that could affect performance.

It was simple reasoning, but that is how people function when they become obsessed.

Just when Keirin was about to close the gallery, satisfied, a comment appeared that bothered her.

ㄴ ReyLeor) Why are you giving him that trash? It smells awful

“……”

Keirin’s brow furrowed.

She knew that user well.

A Leor fan, Chayu’s greatest rival. And the one she hated most.

Whenever he could, he called ChaeYu Chaenggu and mocked them.

On top of that, he knew exactly how to get under her skin.

ㄴ PrincessChangu) Here again? It seems you have nothing better to do

ㄴ ReyLeor) And you do? So, did we win?

“Damn it…”

Keirin cursed.

Not long ago, Chayu lost 3–0 against Leor.

A crushing result.

‘Before, Leor were the mediocre ones…’

Ten years ago, Leor were a fallen dynasty.

But after changing coaches, they regained their prestige.

Meanwhile, Chayu fell into constant decline.

ㄴ PrincessChangu) Hehe, if we change owners, we’ll win too

ㄴ ReyLeor) No, because Keirin is still there

ㄴ hahaha how it stings her

ㄴ After Medes, Keirin is next

“……”

How could he irritate her so much?

Keirin clenched her fists.

Mana began to seep out, but she suppressed it.

Getting angry now would bring nothing good.

She managed to calm herself.

ㄴ PrincessChangu) They say the frog doesn’t remember when it was a tadpole. Exactly, hehe

ㄴ ReyLeor) What are you saying, mediocre Chaenggu?

ㄴ PrincessChangu) Is that why you fell in the Master Cup? At least we got into the Challenger, hehe

ㄴ ReyLeor) And what position are you in? No less than seventh!

ㄴ So intense, hahaha

ㄴ But in popularity Leor is bigger, right?

ㄴ What did you say?

ㄴ I’m just telling the truth

And a war of comparisons began.

“Mm… I’d better stay completely silent.”

Grills simply watched in silence.

It was a truly wise decision.