Do Heroes Need Welfare Too? - Chapter 195

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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 62

Following Iselda’s orders, the mercenaries helped with the evacuation in perfect coordination.

Watching that scene, I bit my lip.

Even though people were startled by the demonic energy from the Demon King’s Castle suddenly covering the sky again, they decided to trust their Hero.

This was especially true for the people of Daniel Village, who had encountered the Hero several times.

Though they trembled with anxiety, they didn’t lose hope.

“Iberis, it’s really okay, right? What about the Hero? What happened to the Hero?”

Violet, who had been moving with the mercenaries’ guidance, spotted me and left her position.

I couldn’t answer her question as if my throat was blocked.

Violet, interpreting my reaction somehow, patted my shoulder.

“It’s alright, child. The Hero will find a way somehow.”

“…I suppose so.”

Their expectations for Adam.

Having already been saved by the Hero, they had firm faith in Adam.

If I told them Adam was missing, everyone would tremble with anxiety.

Even so, no one doubted Adam’s sincerity.

Perhaps it was because they were people who had experienced him directly.

“Eve, where are you going?”

Violet asked, seeing that I wasn’t joining the refugees.

I hesitated for a moment, then looked at her and smiled.

“I can’t leave the Hero alone.”

“This child…! The Hero doesn’t need anyone. He magnificently killed the Demon King alone before too.”

“And right now, I’m the only one who can help Adam.”

Meriel had said her divine power was insufficient to destroy the Demon King’s core.

She had even been shocked when she saw the demonic energy emanating from the still-sealed core.

“If Iberis used all of his divine power, it might be possible… But then Iberis would be in danger too. You know that when divine power drains all at once, the backlash affects the body.”

But I was the only one.

It wasn’t that I ignored Meriel’s concerns.

However, I couldn’t close my eyes and run away when only I could do it.

“Shall we go then?”

Kyrillos looked at me from beside and said.

Iselda and Meriel decided to wait outside in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

I slowly nodded my head.

And as soon as I set foot at the main gate of the Demon King’s Castle, I desperately wanted to hit myself for thinking so carelessly.

‘Ugh…’

The demonic energy spread everywhere was thick.

It hadn’t been that long since I last visited the Demon King’s Castle, but the atmosphere was clearly different from then.

Iberis hurriedly covered his mouth.

It felt like I would be poisoned by the demonic energy at this rate.

‘The Demon King’s Castle I knew… No.’

At the same time, it was indeed the Demon King’s Castle I knew.

It wasn’t the Demon King’s Castle where I had stayed with Adam three years ago.

But it was certainly the Demon King’s Castle I had reached hundreds of times as Adam’s proxy, much more so.

‘Adam… has experienced this hundreds of times.’

The texture of demonic energy felt on my skin made it impossible to ignore the Demon King’s resurrection any longer.

I got goosebumps and wanted to turn around and run away immediately.

But Adam must have challenged this countless times.

I could do it too.

I had to do it.

I couldn’t leave Adam here and go back.

“Well then, let’s go find the princess or the Hero who was kidnapped by the Demon King!”

Kyrillos and I moved toward the same place without saying anything.

Kyrillos had also come here enough times to be familiar with it, just like me.

“This way.”

I pointed with my finger toward where I felt the demonic energy. But Kyrillos was already heading in that direction.

‘Could he be waiting in the audience chamber again this time?’

The Demon King always used to quietly wait for the Hero’s intrusion.

Kyrillos must have had the same thought, as his pace quickened.

However, there were always those who blocked the path of companions going to the Demon King.

Even this was just like in the game.

The same situation as the Demon King subjugation from four years ago was truly repeating.

“Even though I gave you such a warning, foolish humans have finally reached the Demon King’s Castle.”

Abaddon blocked our path and spoke.

At his behavior as if guarding the door inside, Kyrillos and I exchanged glances.

Adam is definitely inside there!

“So Adam is inside after all.”

“We’ll have to defeat Abaddon first.”

When I spoke, Kyrillos nodded.

If it was going to be like this, I should have entered through the secret passage of the Demon King’s Castle.

However, that hole had already been blocked long ago.

Ever since Aphene tried to sneak in.

‘Really, Aphene only causes trouble until the very end…!’

I bit my lip.

Abaddon was wearing the same black robe as when we encountered him before.

Every time he moved, his red eyes glinted briefly, hidden by the robe’s hood.

“Iblith hasn’t been seen for several days either. Could this be your doing as well?”

“As you can see.”

Kyrillos shrugged his shoulders and said.

His reaction seemed as if the threat wasn’t particularly significant.

It was indeed an attitude befitting the experienced scoundrel of the House of Evant.

In other words, he was skilled at annoying people. This seemed to apply to demons as well.

Abaddon’s aura changed sharply.

Abaddon, who had been looking down on us until just moments ago, moved his hand with a flick.

Then the monsters in the garden all approached him at once.

“The monsters…”

The monsters’ red eyes were clouded.

It was probably the work of Aphene, who had returned to the Demon King’s Castle.

Thanks to that, the monsters took an attacking stance at Abaddon’s gesture.

And they all rushed toward Kyrillos at once.

Kyrillos was summoning an offensive magic sphere, then hastily canceled it.

Knowing that the monsters who had lost their reason were not at fault, Kyrillos decided to bind their movements instead.

However, during that time, Abaddon, freed from Kyrillos’s restraint, disappeared in an instant.

And suddenly appeared before me.

“I must first make you pay for daring to reject my proposal.”

Abaddon’s target of attack had changed.

It was before Kyrillos could even move.

I immediately generated divine power.

Thud!

However, the divine power didn’t shoot directly at Abaddon.

“…Huh?”

Abaddon staggered to the side before he could even rush at me.

“You, how dare you….”

Abaddon glared with wide eyes at the person who had struck his head.

However, he only clutched his head and staggered for a moment, appearing to have taken no significant damage.

When Abaddon gestured, the monsters beside him growled and lowered their bodies to attack.

“Even hate can be a form of affection…. I must be crazy.”

Abracxas let out a small laugh even after what he had done.

The monsters that had been standing guard over Abaddon leaped at Abracxas when he gestured. For Abracxas, who had almost no combat ability, even their fangs would be dangerous.

But Abracxas looked relieved.

However, he soon collapsed under concentrated attacks from the enraged monsters.

At the same time, Abaddon lost consciousness and collapsed forward.

Then the monsters that had been controlled by him returned to normal and moved away from Abracxas.

“Abracxas…!”

I checked his condition.

Fortunately, aside from minor scratches from the monsters’ fangs, there were no fatal injuries.

Perhaps it was because he was a ‘strong demon’ as he always said.

I laid the crouched Abracxas down comfortably, then moved toward the source of the demonic energy.

The Demon King is beyond that room.

Facing the door directly, which I had always seen only through Adam’s perspective, felt even more overwhelming.

It was a noble door that seemed to accept challengers like a king.

I took a moment to catch my breath and opened the door.

Like a Hero who had once come to defeat the Demon King.

And inside was the Demon King, always looking down at challengers with noble arrogance.

‘…Aphene.’

Iberis gritted his teeth as he saw Aphene, who had grown even more than when he had seen him before.

“Only two guests. How disappointing.”

Aphene, wrapped in a black robe, certainly resembled the Demon King from the game.

Especially those red eyes.

Aphene had regained his power to a degree that could no longer be ignored.

If it was possible for him to regain power even without the core, then there would be no reason to search for it.

‘Was this not the right answer?’

I gently bit the inside of my mouth.

Then I turned toward a familiar silhouette beside the Demon King.

The person beside the Demon King was….

‘Why are they there….’

I doubted my own eyes.

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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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