Do Heroes Need Welfare Too? - Chapter 148

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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 15

Though things were fine now, he had to tremble in fear that the Demon King’s curse might emerge at any time and devour him.

Adam’s father had died in a similar way.

Poisoned by the Demon King’s demonic energy.

There was no way someone who had borrowed the Demon King’s power once wouldn’t do it a second time.

It was strange from the start that the Demon King would suddenly revive so early.

Adam, reflecting on Lindel’s words, stepped over the Emperor’s corpse and headed to his room.

“Why are we suddenly going here?”

“There’s something I need to find.”

Adam placed his hand on the wall of the Emperor’s bedroom and walked along it.

After walking like that for a while, his hand caught on something. Adam pushed that wall with all his strength.

Then the wall opened, revealing a hidden space.

Judith gaped at the existence of a secret passage he didn’t even know about.

“How, how did you know about this…?”

“I thought there would be at least one secret passage in what’s supposedly the Emperor’s bedroom. In case of rebellion, Your Majesty could use it conveniently.”

“What kind of curse is that!”

Judith shouted at Adam’s back, but Adam had already jumped inside.

The corridor was wide.

Even while walking through the secret passage, Judith doubted whether this was really the Imperial Palace he knew.

Adam strode boldly through the secret passage without hesitation.

And he discovered a room connected to the underground.

Adam lifted the white cloth that was placed on the floor.

Then large magic circles that had been hidden appeared.

“This is…!”

Judith covered his mouth as if he couldn’t believe it.

It was a sacrificial ritual.

There were sacrifices used for the Demon King’s revival.

Probably those who couldn’t be used yet.

Among those collapsed nearby was the Mage Tower Lord. Judith recalled memories of seeing him coming and going from the Imperial Palace when he was young.

So the Mage Tower was involved too.

The Demon King revival ritual led by the Emperor and performed by the Mage Tower Lord must have surely succeeded.

Judith covered his mouth as if it was horrible.

However, Adam only let out a small exclamation as if he had expected this.

“Ah, as I thought.”

“As you thought? You knew about this?”

“Yes. I thought it was strange that the Demon King would revive so early. It was all the Emperor’s doing. The disappearance cases too…”

“…!”

Judith’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe it.

No matter how much grudge he had against Adam, this was a matter that could endanger the Empire if handled carelessly.

Yet they still performed the ritual.

Even though he wanted to believe it was a failure, reality made him face the truth.

Judith’s gaze turned to Adam.

“Then the Demon King might be watching us from somewhere in the Empire.”

Judith’s words were a chilling assumption, but Adam was thinking the same thing.

“Then after you killed him, the Demon King couldn’t revive? If he had revived, it’s strangely quiet.”

“I’m not sure about that. But seeing traces that this spell was used recently… Perhaps he found the Demon King’s power very recently.”

Adam remained calm even while speaking of the worst-case scenario.

Judith looked at Adam as if he was absurd.

He was so carefree even though the Empire might be destroyed.

However, Adam only looked at his own hands.

If the Demon King revived, the Hero would be the first to notice his presence.

It was a world where the two couldn’t coexist from the beginning.

Yet the fact that he couldn’t sense the Demon King’s presence meant he hadn’t regained his proper power.

‘Or maybe I’m becoming a similar existence to him, so I can’t sense the demonic energy.’

Divine power and demonic energy clash with each other, but demonic energies don’t clash with each other.

Adam clenched his fist tightly.

‘It’s still okay for now. Still…’

* * *

“Adam, are you sleeping?”

“Ah.”

Adam, who had been lying with his eyes closed as if sleeping, opened his eyes at my small question.

Then he found my hand and leaned his cheek against it.

Warmth was transmitted from his soft cheek. At times like this, I thought he was like a puppy craving maternal affection.

Whether he had been sleeping briefly, Adam had a more drowsy expression than usual.

Adam lay still and blinked his eyes. Each time, his pretty eyelashes moved.

‘He really is a beauty.’

The grown-up Adam had the face of a mature young man rather than the boyish face he had at 18. But when I looked at him like this, he still seemed to have some youthful traces left.

After returning from the Temple to the mansion, Adam had softened the thorns he had been raising.

When I asked Adam what he wanted to do, he said he wanted to go on a picnic with me.

In the end, we came to the quiet garden of Grace Mansion.

There was also a small recommendation from the butler.

He seemed so pleased that I was with Adam that he told us to have a good time and handed over a basket along with a mat.

We spread the mat and sat down, creating a brief picnic atmosphere.

I pressed his forehead firmly, not knowing what he was thinking. Then Adam smiled.

Adam, who had a languid expression while receiving the sunlight, spoke slowly.

“These are truly peaceful days…”

“Adam. You just set up a flag…”

I swept my face with my hand in despair.

It had been so long since we had quiet rest, and this foolish Hero had ruined it all.

I sighed while covering my face with my hands.

“What did I do wrong?”

I could feel Adam moving back and forth beside me, not knowing what to do.

I said while holding back laughter.

“You don’t even know that? What a troublesome Hero! Don’t tell me after killing the Demon King, you also said something like ‘Is it over…?'”

“…Huh?”

Adam turned to look at me as if flustered.

“What do you mean ‘Huh?’ Adam, that’s a spell that can revive even a dead Demon King!”

This Hero really did something terrifying!

“That’s why the Demon King revives. It’s a terrifying revival spell.”

“I see. I’ll be careful.”

Adam nodded seriously, taking it to heart.

I said slyly.

“…Of course I’m joking.”

“Ah, is that so?”

…What on earth should I do with our Hero?

The problem was that he acted like he would give up his liver and gallbladder if I asked.

It was obviously a joke to anyone, but he took it seriously.

‘But it wouldn’t be strange if the Demon King had revived.’

I suddenly became anxious about the Demon King’s cycle being earlier than expected.

What if the Demon King revives early again this time?

The attacks by the Demonic Beasts had completely disappeared, but the fear ingrained in people’s blood was not something that would easily fade away.

In such a situation, if the Demon King were to be resurrected, being of imperial blood wouldn’t be the problem.

Questions about the Hero’s qualifications could arise again.

After all, the Demon King who was supposedly killed had boldly revealed himself once more.

“Eve knows a lot.”

Adam smiled as he poked my cheeks repeatedly.

I let him play whatever games he wanted with my face and fell into thought.

‘As expected, it’s not changing.’

Even after investing an entire day, the stress level remained the same.

Red text, with a low number.

However, I could no longer look at the numbers objectively.

Either ending Quests arbitrarily or suddenly rising dramatically.

Someone was definitely tampering with it deliberately.

But aside from that, it was also true that Adam’s condition was strange.

The ‘someone’ I didn’t know was taking very good care of Adam.

Looking down at the white head fidgeting right beside me, I rested my chin on my hand and called to him.

“Adam.”

“Yes, Eve.”

He answered immediately as if he had been waiting for me to call him.

“Do you perhaps have any troubles you can’t tell me about?”

“I’m always giving my all to Eve.”

“Hmm.”

Whenever he opened his mouth, words flowed like water.

I waved my hand, telling Adam to continue with what he was doing.

However, once Adam started talking, he was already fixated on me.

“Ah, come to think of it, Adam. Don’t you need to go to the Demon King’s Castle?”

Wasn’t he originally staying at the Demon King’s Castle all the time?

Since I came here, I hadn’t seen him visit the Demon King’s Castle at all.

“It’s fine now since there’s nothing I want there anymore. I’ve also inherited the Demon King’s belongings…”

Adam said with a smile.

The Demon King’s belongings?

Along with Abracxas, Potato’s face came to mind one after another.

Then a small wave of nostalgia washed over me.

“Are those who were at the Demon King’s Castle doing well?”

“Well. They seemed quite depressed after Eve left. Are you worried?”

“To be honest, I can’t help but worry…”

Abracxas seemed like he would maintain his composure well in any situation, but I was worried about Potato.

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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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