Do Heroes Need Welfare Too? - Chapter 147

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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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Part 2, Chapter 14

* * *

I faced the problem I had forgotten due to the chaotic reunion with Adam, like being caught in a storm.

It became even more starkly apparent after returning to Grace Mansion with Adam.

‘I knew something was strange.’

I had felt it since meeting Adam again, but his stress level was acting weird.

I hadn’t completely understood the rules of how stress would rise and fall from the beginning, but lately the stress level had been fluctuating even more.

Sometimes it would drop, and other times it would rise even when doing the same things.

The biggest fluctuation was especially when he was facing me.

So no matter how I looked at it, it seemed like Adam was deliberately tormenting me.

‘At this point, isn’t Adam moving his stress level on purpose?’

But that couldn’t be the case.

No one would expect there to be numbers floating above their head.

So I sighed inwardly and called out to him.

“Adam….”

“Yes, Iberis.”

I squinted one eye and sneakily glanced up at Adam’s head.

‘Here we go again.’

His stress level had risen considerably overnight.

But Adam, who was grinning in front of me, wasn’t doing anything special, yet his stress level was dropping again before long.

It would probably be better to stick close to his side.

No, wasn’t I already doing that? But why does his stress level keep going up and down the moment I turn away?

‘Ah, how hard I worked! Huh? I lowered his stress, but he couldn’t even wait that long!’

But I swallowed all the boiling words.

There was no need to say harsh things to Adam when his stress was bubbling up right now.

However, Adam somehow looked anxious.

The emphasized and repeated expression changes made Adam anxious.

“Adam.”

I called out to him with the prettiest eye-smile I could manage.

At first I felt devastated, but seeing Adam’s innocent face that knew nothing seemed to soften my heart a little.

“Don’t go out today and stay here peacefully with just the two of us, okay?”

This time I’ll definitely lower his stress level!

It wasn’t just because of the Quest.

When I lowered his stress level, Adam’s expression would clearly brighten, so that’s why I was doing it.

It was purely for his sake.

It absolutely wasn’t something mixed with ulterior motives.

“Ah…. That sounds good.”

Adam seemed a little flustered but soon smiled and responded.

Everything was proceeding exactly according to plan.

I secretly smiled without Adam noticing.

‘Look at him grinning like an idiot, that foolish Hero…! Not even knowing it’s all my scheme.’

I smiled with satisfaction inwardly.

“Definitely just the two of us. Just the two of us, that’s a promise.”

Adam spoke with a voice full of anticipation.

Adam emphasized “just the two of us” two or three times repeatedly.

A more excessive reaction than expected came back.

His eyes sparkled like a young child who had received a big gift box from their parents.

Eyes filled with anticipation about what might be inside the box.

“Yes! Have you ever seen me lie?”

I nodded and spoke to meet those expectations.

“Still, I’m happy because I get to be with you.”

“….”

There it was again.

His stress level was going up and down with each word I said.

As if I was important to his life….

“What are you looking at?”

“…!”

I was startled while looking at the system window floating above Adam.

Adam was looking at me with a bright smile.

Did he notice that I was looking at the system window above him instead of at him?

But that couldn’t be.

There was no way Adam could see the System Message.

And the same went for his stress level floating above his head.

It should definitely be that way, yet I felt parched as if everything had been exposed.

‘Adam shouldn’t know, right?’

I touched his hair with awkward, creaking gestures.

“There was dust in your hair….”

“Is that so….”

He spoke languidly and lowered his head a little more.

Thanks to that, I stroked Adam’s fine-textured hair that I was touching after a long time.

Adam was actually pleased even with my obvious excuse.

Adam kept his hand on my wrist and leaned against my cheek like that.

I gazed at Adam with his golden eyes looking up quietly.

And I let out an impression with a “tsk.”

“Adam is a perfect handsome man even in the morning.”

“I want to look good for Eve.”

I flinched.

What on earth did he want to hear from me?

At Adam’s straightforward words, I stared at him blankly, at a loss for words.

“If you say things like that, you’re guilty. You’ll be arrested.”

Finally, I opened my mouth after hesitating.

When I threw out the joke, Adam grinned and said,

“Then will Eve arrest me?”

Adam obediently held out both hands to me.

At that sight, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“You’re under arrest.”

I said while grabbing his hands.

“Now Adam can’t go anywhere!”

“That’s what I’m hoping for.”

Adam said with a grin.

Adam, who quickly picked up on my words as if he had been waiting for them, looked happier than ever.

* * *

Adam was able to close his eyes and take a dreamlike rest after a long time.

However, as if his mind wouldn’t let him rest, it revisited memories of the past.

The rebellion had gone smoothly.

After beheading the Emperor, Judith approached him.

Judith defeated all the nobles and then carefully asked Adam.

“You said you know about the Demon King, what exactly is that about?”

Words that everyone here, including Adam, would have clearly heard.

It could have been something the Emperor blurted out randomly because he wanted to prolong his life.

However, Judith still had the Emperor’s voice echoing in his ears.

A voice filled with conviction.

It was a voice that didn’t seem like it would just spout random words.

“Was it okay not to listen? If it was a card he pulled out at the last moment, it must have been important…”

“It was something I already knew.”

Adam spoke calmly as he moved forward.

Judith followed behind Adam who moved without hesitation and asked.

“You already knew? What do you mean by that?”

“Someone who was connected to my father told me.”

Was his name Lindel?

Coincidentally, he had been hiding in the village where Iberis was staying.

Even though he covered his face with a robe, he knelt before Adam as if he had been waiting only for him.

Before Adam could even ask who he was, Adam already knew him.

He was the person who had been watching him with Iberis before and then disappeared.

Lindel stammered as he bowed his head at Adam’s feet.

“I really wanted to apologize.”

Lindel spoke with difficulty.

Adam looked down at the kneeling Lindel with an expressionless face.

Lindel said that Adam’s father had already chosen him as his playmate attendant in advance. So he was staying in the Imperial Palace when Adam was born.

Lindel, who suddenly brought up his past story, continued to speak.

It was like the desperation of a human confessing to God.

“I became a dead person after that day, but even though it’s a childhood memory, I remember it clearly. His Majesty did not pass away from illness. That day, the 2nd Prince, no, the Emperor muttered something incomprehensible, and suddenly His Majesty showed strange symptoms…”

As he brought up memories from the past, he covered his face with trembling hands as if in agony.

“Why didn’t you speak up at that time?”

“Since he didn’t kill directly, there would be no evidence left. Who would have believed the words of a young child like me?”

Lindel spoke as if mocking himself.

“But it was definitely something that Emperor did. I clearly remember the Emperor’s face laughing behind him.”

Lindel’s hands trembled as if even recalling the past was painful.

“That person suddenly bled black blood and passed away. I lost my eyes and legs to monsters and fled…”

“Black blood?”

It was then that Adam, who had been calmly listening to Lindel’s confession, spoke up.

He bent one knee to meet his gaze and asked.

“Wasn’t there anything else strange? Like black smoke suddenly spreading around that person?”

“…I think there was something like that.”

Lindel nodded blankly at Adam’s prompting.

His eyes seemed to ask how Adam knew that.

How could he not know such a thing.

‘If the Emperor and the Demon King were in cahoots, there would be only one reason why Father died.’

Adam clenched his fist tightly.

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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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