It was Friday evening, and the tavern was buzzing with noise.
Late at night, the place was packed with guests—some seeking to drown their sorrows in alcohol, others simply in a festive mood to celebrate the coming weekend.
Amidst this noisy crowd, two unusual people were seated at a secluded corner table, drinking and talking.
Well, more accurately, one man was speaking in a frustrated tone, while the other just sighed deeply and listened quietly.
The man doing the talking had an extraordinary appearance.
If he stood up, his long golden hair would probably fall to his waist.
He wore a black leather jacket, jeans, and black leather shoes. His build was somewhat slender, but even seated, it was obvious he was tall.
His sharp eyes, defined jawline, and high-bridged nose gave him a striking appearance.
His slightly tanned skin was clear, and his thick eyebrows and prominent facial features made it undeniable—he was incredibly handsome.
Practically perfect.
Sitting beside him was a woman, significantly larger and more muscular.
She wore a white tank top and black leather pants. Because of the tank top, her dark, muscular arms and were completely visible.
She had a dark skin but her high hair bun of white colour went well with her skin tone.
Now, if the pair were just strange-looking, that would've been it.
But what truly made everyone in the tavern stare at them was the massive, fearsome-looking black horns sprouting from the pretty woman's head.
The woman wasn't human—she was a demon.
And now, the golden-haired man, with a flawless face and sharp expression, was glaring at this towering demon, his brow furrowed in fury.
The man in the leather jacket was none other than Damian Marcus, the greatest Hero on the continent of Arcadia.
He had single-handedly defeated the once-feared Demon King Bel, who had thrown the world into chaos.
He had even punished the evil dragons who abducted princesses and boasted of their strength, toying with them as if they were nothing.
In his early twenties, Damian Marcus was considered the strongest hero in history.
The demon sitting across from him was Carolla Wency, a former general of the Demon King's army and once its supreme commander—an incredibly powerful individual.
"Hey, you idiot. Whether or not I killed the Demon King, how the hell is it my fault that you, who served as the army's supreme commander for 10 years, didn't get paid a single coin? At the very least, before I killed the Demon King, you should've done something to make sure you were getting paid, right?"
"Hum, you're right.."
"What? Were you too scared of being fired to ask for your salary? Aren't you, like, 220 years old now? When are you going to grow up? Are you really here to kill me today because you think your miserable life is my fault?"
Damian 's words made Carolla sigh deeply. She grabbed the beer in front of him and chugged it down before replying.
"Phew... I'm sorry. Really, Damian , I'm sorry. After the Demon King was killed, the whole Demon Army collapsed and scattered. Suddenly there were no jobs, no way to earn money..."
"Thought so."
"So I started thinking, 'This is all Damian 's fault.' That's why I came looking for your bakery—to get revenge. The Demon King did promise he'd reward me once he conquered the world…"
Hearing that, Damian thumped his chest in frustration.
"Ugh, you idiot. You poor, foolish woman. This is why bad employers thrive—because of people like you! Think about it! A guy who didn't pay you a single coin for ten years says he'll reward you after he conquers the world?!"
"Once he ruled the world, you'd have been useless and thrown away!
Did you even check if you were hired as full-time or contract when you became supreme commander?!"
Damian's rising anger made Carolla shrink back, unable to respond properly.
"I mean... I was just happy when the Demon King appointed me…"
"Sigh… You dummy. When you get a job, you're supposed to check everything:
Are you full-time or temp?
How is your salary calculated?
Are there bonuses? Is there severance pay?
How the hell did you work for ten years without getting a single coin?!
And your family—aren't they a noble house back in the Demon Realm? A Count's family, right? Didn't they say anything?!"
"They were just happy I became supreme commander under the Demon King.
My father, my mother, my sisters—they were all just proud."
"Man… I don't like insulting other people's parents, but your folks didn't seem to care much about how you actually lived, huh?"
"They were always more concerned with the family name and honor…"
"So what, they were happy when you got the job, and then after the Demon King died, they blamed you for the defeat and kicked you out of the house?"
"Yeah.So with nothing to do, I've been wandering around, trying to find work… but there's barely anything out there."
"Of course not. You think jobs are easy to come by nowadays? I know other heroes who've gone days without work, starved themselves and died of pneumonia."
Damian gulped down his beer. After lecturing Carolla Wency so passionately, he seemed parched. After downing the drink, he continued.
"Burp~ Man, that hits the spot.
Anyway, the past is the past. Let's move forward.
How about this—why don't you come work at my bakery, learn baking skills, get certified? Ever thought of that?"
"Huh?"
Carolla's eyes widened in disbelief at the sudden offer.
Damian repeated, his tone firm.
"Don't make me say it twice. Starting tomorrow, you'll work at my bakery. I'll teach you the skills, help you get certified. And if someday you want to open your own bakery, I'll help with that too. How does that sound?"
"Wait, seriously?"
"Yeah, seriously. I'll even pay you well. I'm not one to joke.
I've got a soft spot for struggling people like you—I can't just ignore you."
"Sniff… thank you, Damian . Really, thank you."
Carolla—once a terrifying figure, former supreme commander of the Demon King's army—was now shedding big fat tears at Damian 's kindness.
"Hey now, don't thank me too much. Starting tomorrow, you'll be working your ass off like you're in hell."
"If you'll have me, I'll work hard. Sniff."
And so, Carolla Wency, former demon general, began her new life working as an employee under Damian —once a legendary hero, now the earnest owner of a humble bakery.