Do Heroes Need Welfare Too? - Chapter 122

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 122

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“Iblith says he has completed all the tasks you commanded.”

“Is that so.”

Aphene bared his teeth in a smile toward Abaddon, who emerged from behind the tree.

It had been a satisfying day after a long time.

He had secretly monitored Iberis using Abaddon’s ability to control insects.

The sharp-witted Hero would notice the moment Abaddon’s power—attaching insects—was used, so as an alternative, he had chosen his maid.

For some reason, whenever they entered the Demon King’s Castle, Abaddon’s power kept dying.

It must be that damned Hero’s doing!

He had thought the Hero, realizing it was Abaddon’s work, surely wouldn’t let his weakness wander outside, but perhaps he was stupid—Iberis came outside within a few days.

And she met someone with similar appearance to the Emperor who had awakened him.

“The Hero’s maid is scheduled to go to the Baiten Estate.”

Abaddon’s subordinate who was monitoring her reported this to him.

The faithful subordinate Abaddon immediately informed the Demon King.

The Emperor’s help was involved in all of this.

It was surprising enough that he kept the previous Hero, but to use that to see through his curse.

Even knowing that, he prepared sacrifices to revive him earlier.

Thanks to that, he could regain his strength and be resurrected faster than expected.

What the Emperor wanted was to curse a missing child.

Aphene lied that he would grant that request.

It was as expected that the human would bring a contract, asking to make a pact.

“Then let us make a pact.”

“How insolent!”

“Then I will help you with anything. If only you kill that child. Anything at all.”

Iblith and Abaddon were indignant, but Aphene readily agreed to the pact.

The content of the pact was absolute, but if one bastard dies, it wouldn’t matter, would it?

The foolish Emperor seemed to think they were in the same boat since he had helped the Demon King’s revival.

‘I’m also curious about who is doing the cursing.’

Anyway, hadn’t he obtained useful information to kill the Hero now?

‘The previous Hero killed his lover due to my curse and went mad. Then, unable to bear the petty guilt, he couldn’t even die, and confessed to his friend, the current Emperor, only to end up in that state.’

Recalling Hero Lawrence rushing at him to take his life made him feel exceptionally good.

The life of a moth rushing to kill the Demon King, burning his entire life.

The sense of loss when there’s nothing left after burning one’s whole body to walk the path one believed was right.

That entire process was pleasure for Aphene.

‘This time I was late, but I’ll see it soon.’

Iberis wouldn’t be able to come out of the mansion.

The pillar of fire had disappeared, but all the living beings inside must have burned up.

The Hero must have realized that wasn’t natural fire.

It was fire created by one of his subordinates, the demon Iblith.

The Hero who killed him had made a big mistake.

The demons knew that the Demon King doesn’t die.

Even if he dies, if he comes back to life, how could that be called death?

It’s merely resurrection.

The two demons, excluding Abracxas who was bound by the Demon King’s Castle’s pact, quickly fled as soon as their lives disappeared.

Abracxas eventually knelt before the Hero.

The sight of him cowering like a dog, not knowing what to do and reading the mood in front of him.

Aphene recalled his foolish behavior and clicked his tongue.

Unlike Abracxas, Iblith, who could handle fire, didn’t grovel on his knees before Adam and wait for opportunities.

He didn’t just quietly wait for his resurrection either.

The clever one used fools to help himself.

Look, can’t you see that fire burning so magnificently?

Aphene, watching Adam’s rampage from afar, smiled with satisfaction.

Even that moronic Emperor had his uses sometimes.

Wasn’t it the Emperor who woke him earlier than expected?

He felt sorry for using the maid who had been kind to him, but such emotions couldn’t last long in a Demon King.

“Now everything will flow as it should.”

Now the Hero will die.

Just like that fool Lawrence.

That Hero too will lose his lover, go mad, and rampage.

And he’ll either take his own life with his own hands, or go to the Emperor saying he’ll pay for his sins and live a life where he can’t die as a good test subject.

It was a very joyful day.

Aphene smiled with satisfaction.

* * *

It was Abaddon who first found the weakened Demon King.

For him, who could share the eyes of insects throughout the world, finding the Demon King was a very easy task.

That’s how Abaddon found the small village.

Upon entering the village entrance, he felt the energy of fire and thought Iblith had found him too, but it was simply ordinary fire.

Abaddon hid in the forest while looking toward the place where his master’s energy could be faintly felt.

Humans came rushing out and the commotion grew louder. Mixed among them was an energy he definitely recognized.

“Abaddon.”

Aphene, who had been looking at the inn burning in flames, quietly called his subordinate.

Abaddon had already noticed his presence as well.

When his name was called, the faithful limb who had been hiding behind a tree watching the situation revealed himself.

Calmly settled ash-gray hair, and vividly red eyes that proved he was a demon.

Aphene looked back at his subordinate, whom he was seeing after a long time, with a bored expression.

Abaddon bowed his head to his master.

“You’re later than expected.”

“I didn’t know you would be with the Hero, my lord.”

At his words, Aphene slowly turned his gaze.

It was strangely covered as if holy power and demonic energy were struggling against each other.

It seemed the Hero had arrived at the inn belatedly.

There wouldn’t be more than one such person in the world. Originally born with divine power, but demonic energy began mixing due to the Demon King’s curse. The demonic energy was surrounding him even more than when he had seen him from a distance before.

He had thought it strange that the maid was wandering around outside alone, so he finally came to retrieve her.

It would be interesting if she died now, but Iberis shouldn’t die yet.

It would be fun when the Hero, consumed by the curse, snaps her slender neck.

That’s how he’d end up like the previous Hero.

Aphene replied casually.

“Hmm, somehow our paths happened to align again.”

Aphene seemed to quickly lose interest as he looked away from the Hero and moved his steps as if to return with him.

“I saw something interesting too.”

Without need for worry, that Hero would rampage in the near future, kill humans, and self-destruct.

Aphene smiled with satisfaction and took a step.

“…!”

At that moment, the demonic energy that had been surging as if about to rampage disappeared in an instant.

As the demonic energy suddenly subsided behind him, Aphene frowned and turned around.

It was something he had never seen before.

For a curse he had personally cast to weaken, even if temporarily.

‘Anyone capable of such a thing should already be dead.’

The curse is still intact.

However, the demonic energy that had been surging around the Hero had vanished without a trace.

It was inevitable that he would think of his adversary who possessed powerful divine force. It was also the Saintess who had wrapped the First Hero Nermia tightly in holy power and interfered with him.

Abaddon, who had been quietly listening to his master’s words, became curious about the rain that had been pouring since earlier.

“But this rain…”

It was Abaddon who raised his head to check the sky. Rain was falling from a sky without a single cloud.

It seemed like rain that had been artificially created to extinguish the fire.

Aphene had also noticed this, so he didn’t bother to look up and confirm it.

“Yes, someone made this rain fall using the same ability as that damn Saintess.”

Aphene said through gritted teeth.

His skin had been stinging from the divine power that had been unpleasantly spreading through the air since earlier.

No matter how much power he had lost, he was still the Demon King.

He was one born from entirely wicked and negative sources.

Mediocre divine power wouldn’t even dare to challenge someone like him.

Perhaps only the First Saintess, who was the only adversary he had ever acknowledged, could do so.

However, she who didn’t know how to properly handle her power chose a Hero and faced him by sharing her strength.

Aphene recalled the face of the woman who could make rain fall and extinguish fires with a single gesture.

“Who could it be.”

Aphene muttered as if reciting.

“Someone who possesses the same ability as the Saintess…”

His gaze turned toward where the Hero had been.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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