Do Heroes Need Welfare Too? - Chapter 128
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 128
* * *
At that moment.
Judith was troubled as he looked at the note brought by his clever hawk.
‘I should have told Adam that the maid had come to me after all.’
However, it was too late to regret after things had already happened.
Judith had only learned a few hours ago that Adam had been consistently trying to contact him.
If he hadn’t discovered his own hawk carrying another terrifying threatening letter saying he would storm the Imperial Palace if he didn’t receive a telegram this time.
Judith, who guessed who was shooting down every bird that flew toward the Imperial Palace, let out a groan.
He had planned to organize things a bit more before meeting him.
If he had known this would happen, he should have gone earlier.
He thought she was just a maid for entertainment, but before he knew it, she had occupied a significant place.
Judith recognized his small mistake.
Judith frowned as he recalled the small maid who had looked desperate when he last saw her.
Iberis had seemed urgent, as if someone was chasing her.
If Judith refused her request, it seemed like she would go find another ally without hesitation.
The reason he had granted a request he normally wouldn’t have was because of this.
‘Even if I tell him now, it will only make him more troubled.’
Judith cleared his thoughts and waited for Adam, who would arrive soon.
Like a criminal about to mount the guillotine, Judith sat in front of the table.
Then, the curtain fluttered and a human silhouette appeared from beyond the window where nothing had been before.
Judith tried not to show that he was startled.
Caught by the Emperor as an accomplice who had helped the Hero, he had been exiled to solitary confinement.
Right now, several seasoned knights would be positioned at the bottom of this tower, yet Adam walked toward him with his body intact as if it were natural.
“It’s been a while, Your Highness the Prince.”
Adam looked at him with his usual smile.
That ordinary gap made Judith feel even more chilled.
It was a clear face that didn’t look like someone who had lost a beloved maid and boldly sent threatening letters.
Then something rustled in Adam’s palm.
He rolled the earring found at the fire scene in his palm as if it were a habit.
“Yes, I heard the whole story from Nain…”
Adam slowly lifted his gaze that had been fixed on his hand to look at the other person.
Similar appearance, similar personality.
However, he faced the Prince who moved foolishly to avoid resembling their similar father.
Though Adam didn’t even open his mouth, he could guess what would come out of his mouth.
Judith spoke with a bitter smile.
“You came to take revenge on me, I suppose? Since the maid’s death can be considered my responsibility, I understand you.”
Tap tap tap.
Adam withdrew his gaze that had been directed at him.
A father’s sins were not his son’s sins. He knew this well, but if he applied guilt by association to him now, could it appease his anger?
However, Adam smiled beautifully.
Still wearing the smile he had always put on since he never knew where his god might be watching.
He smiled like a rose blooming in full splendor.
“What are you talking about? If you want to die, find someone else. I have other business with you, so let’s finish this first before I make my request.”
At the unexpectedly cheerful words, Judith relaxed a bit and leaned back in his chair.
Adam continued speaking before Judith could open his mouth to ask first.
“I want to strike down the Emperor.”
At Adam’s words spoken without changing his expression, Judith looked at him quietly without surprise.
Judith slowly rubbed his face with his palm.
“So that was your business… Hah, that’s what I’ve been hoping for. I’ve always felt uncomfortable as if I had stolen your position.”
Judith’s golden eyes visible between his fingers gazed at Adam.
His eyes, shining more clearly than before, had thoroughly finished calculating.
“But the timing isn’t good. The world has lost interest in you. The Hero who killed the Demon King, and the new Count who solved the disappearance case. But now, too few people mention your name.”
Judith recited Adam’s achievements as if he had been waiting for this moment.
When all the world’s attention was focused on him, there had been several opportunities to reveal that he was the son of the Former Emperor and expose the Emperor’s crimes.
But not now.
With their interest cooled, it would be difficult to gather the nobles’ strength.
“The nobles aren’t easy to deal with.”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Despite Judith’s sincere concern, Adam was resolute.
“So will you cooperate?”
He simply urged for an answer.
At his confident attitude as if the rebellion would naturally succeed, Judith rubbed his face with his hand again.
“Fine.”
Judith eventually raised both hands in surrender.
There had been few times when he had come on so strongly.
No matter what opportunities came, he had been someone who held his breath and was careful not to displease others.
His change was quite admirable, but knowing the reason, Judith couldn’t say it out loud.
Adam, who had been quietly staring at Judith, stood up from his seat.
Adam’s golden eyes, filled with unreadable emotion, captured him one last time.
“As I said earlier, you don’t need to worry about the nobles’ support. I’ve already won over the Duke of Evant. As Your Highness knows, the nobles can be considered to have already come over.”
Then Judith burst out laughing.
This damn cousin had a talent for dropping bombshell statements all at once.
“The Duke of Evant? What if that upright man abandons you for the stability of the Imperial Family?”
Judith said, frowning with one eyebrow.
There was even a joke that no matter how stupid a noble was, they became sensible in front of the House of Evant.
The nobles were careful enough about their behavior in his presence.
With his strong noble pride, he wouldn’t be the type to grant a private audience to Adam, who had merely received a count title.
“…I had an ally.”
Adam continued speaking calmly.
“It was definitely my uncle’s sword that was said to be missing. I couldn’t fail to recognize the House of Evant’s treasured sword.”
It was Kyrillos who first approached the Duke of Evant for persuasion.
The Duke couldn’t miss the clue about Lawrence’s whereabouts that he had been searching for so desperately.
That’s why the Duke of Evant secretly summoned Adam.
On the day of his first private audience with the Duke of Evant, he smiled and mentioned Kyrillos.
“That’s how I found out. Hero. That my son was used by the Emperor.”
Adam affirmed his hypothesis by not answering.
The aged and wrinkled eyes observing Adam briefly contorted as if in pain.
His missing eldest son was connected to the Emperor.
Come to think of it, the Demon King’s strange behavior had also started after the current Emperor came of age.
Lawrence, who received the divine oracle to kill the fully resurrected Demon King and protect world peace, bravely defeated the Demon King as the sixth Hero.
However, what came back with news of victory was news that his son had gone missing. Even mobilizing all of House of Evant’s intelligence network and knights, they couldn’t find Lawrence’s body.
The only certain thing was that his fiancée, who was supposed to have a wedding the next day, appeared as a brutally murdered corpse.
Just like that child.
The terrifyingly similar fates of the previous and current generation Heroes were alike.
The clear mark of the Royal Family on his left shoulder, shown as if to prove it.
It was a solid symbol of royalty that couldn’t be artificially created.
The Duke of Evant gazed at him calmly without much surprise.
“Who would have thought that the son of the Former Emperor, whom I thought was dead, was actually the Hero.”
The Duke of Evant laughed heartily, wondering how such an amazing coincidence could exist.
“If there were a protagonist, I think it would have been you. A Hero who saves the world… If this is a world that can only survive by placing such a heavy burden on a young child, wouldn’t it be fine if it were destroyed by the Demon King? Don’t you think so?”
The aged Duke of Evant’s eyes were focused entirely on Adam.
They were eyes similar to the Elderly High Priest’s. Pupils that seemed to be searching for someone dear in his face.
However, the Duke soon opened his mouth matter-of-factly.
“How does it feel to have become the hero of the century?”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————