Do Heroes Need Welfare Too? - Chapter 13

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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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Episode 13

“Kyang?”

I clearly saw it talking with my own two eyes, but now it’s pretending not to know and acting cute.

At the bold demonic beast’s behavior, I showed bewilderment while Abracxas displayed pure absurdity.

“Well I’ll be, this is ridiculous…”

“Kying?”

The demonic beast tilted its head as if it had no idea what we were talking about, its eyes sparkling.

With those round eyes shining, it somehow seemed cute.

It seemed like a demonic beast that repays kindness—since I saved it from dying, it appeared to have grown fond of me.

The fact that it can talk…

Right, let’s think of it as a bonus feature.

I skillfully petted its fur and asked.

“Do you know this demonic beast?”

“I am a great high noble! Do you think I’d remember the names of lowly demonic beasts? These things are born randomly without even parents to begin with. There’s no way I could remember.”

“To my eyes, you two seem exactly the same…”

The fact that it clearly talks but we can’t communicate…

Then he got fired up at being equated with a mere creature.

“That thing only talks but is a fool who knows nothing!”

Said the fool who’s a demon but doesn’t even know demonic beast names.

Then that means there’s no set name for it.

“Then I’ve decided your name is Potato!”

“?!”

The talking potato seemed pleased about something and stuck out its tongue, panting.

As expected, my naming skills! Self-praise comes naturally.

“A demonic beast named Potato… Isn’t that the name of a relief crop that humans eat?”

“That’s right.”

Is there some problem with that?

When I looked at him with such eyes, Abracxas smiled awkwardly.

“Wouldn’t it dislike that too?”

“You think so? Your name is Potato! How is it? Do you like it?”

“Kyarring!”

“It says it likes it.”

“…”

Hey, you spring potato is cute. Your house doesn’t even have potatoes, does it?

Abracxas looked at me as if dumbfounded, but I cleanly ignored him.

When Potato likes it, what’s he going to do about it?

“Come to think of it, there was something I wanted to experiment with… Potato, I’ll need your help!”

“Kking?”

* * *

When Adam woke up, his steps naturally headed toward where people were. It was instinct. He heard human voices, and he could sense the presence of demonic beasts there. After doing this kind of work his whole life, his body reacted before his mind.

Adam went out to the garden and discovered Iberis with demonic beasts in front of her.

He instinctively ran toward Iberis, thinking she might be attacked by the demonic beasts.

However, the situation unfolding before his eyes was a scene Adam had never once imagined.

“Roll left. Roll right. Lie down.”

“Kyiing.”

“Kking.”

“Good.”

Even the demonic beasts that didn’t listen to her at first underwent training under Potato’s fierce leadership.

Whenever the demonic beasts showed their teeth, before she could do anything, Potato would step forward growling and baring its teeth.

Thanks to this, the training proceeded smoothly.

“Ah, Hero!”

Iberis, who had been training the demonic beasts in front, spotted him and came running over.

Adam, who had been watching the situation as if mesmerized by Iberis’s appearance, belatedly tried to stop her.

“Being near demonic beasts is dangerous.”

“It’s okay! This one was helping me.”

Adam’s eyes followed along her hand.

“Ah.”

Somehow knowing it was being praised, Potato puffed out its proud chest fur and lifted its head high.

“This one’s name is Potato, and the ones on either side are Blackie and Whitey respectively.”

Though it was naming sense too terrible to watch, Iberis explained proudly.

Thanks to Potato, my hypothesis was proven.

‘Demonic beasts can be tamed even by those who aren’t demons.’

Hierarchy wasn’t created by the Demon King or demons, but naturally arose from their magical power. Therefore, they don’t unconditionally follow the Demon King either. When the Hero entered the castle without killing the demonic beasts, only a few who were displeased at having their territory invaded attacked him—not all of them tried to bite him.

‘So I don’t need to bother with subjugation stones.’

I found them distasteful from the start anyway.

Back then, Abracxas’s expression when he mentioned subjugation stones with a smile was strange.

It was as if he was hiding some interesting scheme.

Subjugation stones came from the Demon King’s possession. It would be best not to use them if possible.

Adam confirmed that she was fine and rubbed his face.

“More importantly, how long did I sleep? The sun is already high in the sky…”

“Not long. About two or three hours?”

Just from that brief sleep, his stress level had dropped. [Stress – 46%] was floating above Adam’s head.

To think it would drop this much from just three hours of sleep.

If I make sure he gets at least eight hours of sleep from now on and feeds him well, it seems like he could easily return home.

I snapped out of my thoughts at Adam’s voice as he looked around.

“Did anything happen by any chance? Like the demonic beasts attacking you…”

“Yes! Nothing happened at all.”

Though she repeatedly said nothing happened, Adam looked anxious.

‘Come to think of it, isn’t that all cold sweat?’

Iberis stood on her tiptoes and placed her hand on Adam’s forehead. Perhaps still not fully awake, Adam didn’t avoid the contact. Lukewarm cold sweat was beaded all over his forehead.

“Did you have a nightmare or something?”

“…Nightmare.”

Adam muttered quietly. For a moment so brief you might think it was a mistake, his eyes darkened.

But that was only momentary—he returned to his usual self and smiled.

As if his earlier behavior meant nothing.

“Yes, it seems so.”

“Hero…”

I tried to speak with concern, but Adam didn’t seem to want to talk about this topic anymore. I should let it go for now.

While racking my brain for topics he might like, I came up with a good idea.

“Look at this.”

It was time to show the results of the special training while Adam was sleeping.

I made eye contact with Potato and the other demonic beasts and nodded. They nodded back as if they were ready too.

“Sit.”

“Stand.”

“Bang!”

As the finale, I made a motion like firing a gun, and they all fell backward in unison, showing their bellies.

‘How’s that? Our kids are amazing, right?’

Now I waited for Adam’s praise to come.

There are no bad demonic beasts in this world.

All sorts of problem behaviors could be sufficiently resolved through training.

“This is truly amazing….”

Adam was genuinely amazed.

Taming monsters. This idea was something an ordinary person could never conceive. They destroy human settlements, attack people, and serve as the Demon King’s limbs.

He had never seen a monster that listened to human words before. To him, monsters were targets that had to be killed.

When Potato licked Iberis’s hand, he had seen a glimmer of hope then. But he never expected results to come this quickly.

‘So that person was right again.’

Even while following the order not to kill the monsters, he couldn’t shake his inner doubts. If left alone, the monsters could eventually cause problems.

That’s why he had no choice but to control their minds with the Subjugation Stone every time, staying alert every hour.

But there was a way to tame them without forcing them into submission.

“Hero.”

Iberis waved his hand in front of Adam’s eyes. He had been spacing out for a moment and answered quietly with “Yes.”

“Rather than sleeping uncomfortably, it would be better for you to sleep in a bed! Even if it’s just a nap, sleeping comfortably is important.”

“….”

Having slept soundly even for a short while, the shadows under his eyes had faded a bit. He had thought they were blemishes that didn’t suit such a pretty face.

They hadn’t completely disappeared since he couldn’t sleep deeply in the bed, but this much was fine.

‘It seems to give him a slightly decadent beauty….’

What am I thinking!

Iberis raised his hand and slapped his own cheek.

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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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