Do Heroes Need Welfare Too? - Chapter 74

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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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Chapter 74

‘Of course I’m doing well.’

You’re right next to me. Right next to me.

Adam was even rambling on endlessly without pause, yet all that came through was that single line of message. I wondered if that vast amount could really be summed up with the words “asking how you’re doing”…

As Adam spoke to me and I watched the messages appearing, a thought suddenly occurred to me.

‘Come to think of it, I don’t know what happened to my body in the original world…’

If I collapsed in that one-room apartment, with no family, friends, or acquaintances who knew me, my body probably wouldn’t be discovered until much later.

Or maybe, if I really complete the Quest, I can return to that time then?

I was lost in thought, even forgetting that I was secretly watching Adam from behind.

“If you don’t answer, I’m really going to establish a labor union…”

“Ahem, ahem…”

At Adam’s clearly audible voice, I got up from my spot and slowly walked toward him.

‘There, an answer. That’s enough, right?’

Of course it wouldn’t be enough.

Adam, who had been muttering with a hollow laugh, spotted me and approached happily.

It was a completely different expression from when he had suddenly yelled at me and run away earlier.

Had he finished sorting through his complicated thoughts?

“Eve, what brings you all the way here?”

“Just because. I was looking to see how far the Hero who ran away had gone. Oh, someone who eats and sleeps in the Demon King’s Castle secretly tipped me off about this location.”

Since it looked like I was stalking him by finding this place Adam frequented, I quickly added an excuse.

Adam’s gaze narrowed at my tip-off and turned toward the interior of the Demon King’s Castle.

It was clearly a look directed at Abracxas, who was probably snickering inside.

“Even so, the Hero is already in the palm of my hand, isn’t he? This is supposed to be the Hero’s secret space?”

“It’s too ordinary a place to attach the word ‘secret’ to it.”

Adam answered with a soft chuckle.

It certainly was a nice place.

The sunlight was warmly streaming in, and the cool breeze was refreshing.

I also liked how white wildflowers bloomed randomly since no one maintained it.

And the decisive reason this place was good was…

“Hero, you’ve been smiling a lot lately, haven’t you? It looks good on you.”

Maybe it was because Adam seemed comfortable.

“…Me?”

“Yes!”

When you come to a place where your body and mind are comfortable, a smile naturally spreads across your face.

It was the same earlier.

Unlike the past when he spoke about everything in a calm tone, hadn’t he even raised his voice at me?

“That can’t be right. Didn’t Eve see wrong? Maybe it was because of the shadows…”

Ah, see how his expression hardens when I mention it.

Unfortunately, Hero, as I said, you’re in the palm of my hand.

Your one true God agrees that I saw it too!

“…!”

Adam reflexively lifted his head to look up at the sky.

I didn’t know if God was really watching, but the sky was indeed dazzlingly clear.

“…You’re right.”

Adam slowly lowered his gaze.

“I probably smiled because… I like this peaceful life.”

At those words, I couldn’t help but smile.

Our Adam, how wonderful that you’re so happy!

Stress – 69%

The number floating above Adam’s head was also decreasing at a surprisingly fast rate compared to before.

His stress level had been dropping noticeably since his conversation with God.

It seemed to be the effect of his self-deprecating thoughts about being abandoned by God disappearing.

While thinking I should have used this method sooner, a corner of my heart felt a sharp pang.

‘In the end, Adam never really needed me.’

I thought Adam’s attitude toward me had changed all this time.

Realizing that it wasn’t even half of half of the attitude he showed toward God made me feel unbearably lonely.

Remembering my past self who got excited and a little elated whenever his reaction was different from usual, my eyes reddened slightly.

‘No, what am I doing here?’

What a foolish thing to do.

Adam is kind to everyone.

It was wrong of me to be proud just because a small gap appeared.

“Eve.”

“Yes?”

Adam’s voice calling my sulking self was annoyingly the same as usual, enough to make me hate him for no reason.

When I lifted my head, I saw Adam’s body, which had somehow come close.

I couldn’t bear to face him.

But in the end, I couldn’t avoid him and met his gaze.

When our eyes met, his eyes curved prettily.

“This is all thanks to Eve, isn’t it.”

Adam said with a beautiful smile.

At that smile I’d never seen before, which seemed to create the illusion that it was shown only to me, I unconsciously reddened to the tips of my ears.

I secretly covered my neck, which was turning red, with my hand.

I’d probably look strange, but I didn’t care about that.

“You’re really strange, I tell you.”

Adam said with a soft chuckle.

“…Stop smiling like that.”

After a long silence, I answered timidly.

Is this what it feels like to be enchanted?

Even if a day came when I desperately felt that Adam didn’t need me, I felt like I would never be able to break away from him.

I couldn’t control my heart that was growing helplessly.

‘Adam is…’

Your Hero smiles brightly.

Even though it must be different feelings.

* * *

Your Hero asks how you are.

Your Hero tells his story.

Your Hero smiles and tells about what happened yesterday.

From morning, Adam seemed to be talking to God.

I swallowed the complaints that were about to grumble out.

This time too, I went out to find Potato to relieve my sulky mood through animal therapy.

I thought I had moved without anyone knowing.

‘Oh, our eyes met.’

Before I could even avoid him, I ended up meeting his golden eyes directly.

It was a moment of hesitation.

Then, Adam’s face began to brighten.

“Eve, where are you going?”

“Eve, what are you doing?”

“Why are you just leaving?”

“Did you eat? Eve?”

At the barrage of questions that poured out whenever our eyes met, I fled outside as if escaping.

Potato, I need Potato!

Animal therapy was the best for calming a tired mind and body!

With an even more urgent expression than before, I shook my head this way and that, searching for Potato.

My face was so red I could feel it myself.

I was about to give up, so why did Adam suddenly come out like that?

I had no one to confide my frustration to.

Talking to Potato was one thing, but Abracxas was even more out of the question!

In the end, it was when I was heading outside the castle gate to get as far away as possible from him in the Demon King’s Castle.

If I saw Adam while still being kind to me without properly sorting out my feelings about how to treat him, it felt like my heart would be completely exposed.

“Huh, when did this get here?”

I stared at a large box sitting alone in front of the castle gate.

When I got closer, it was a bigger box than I had thought.

If someone had moved such a large box, it definitely would have been noticeable, yet someone had abandoned this thing in front of the Demon King’s Castle.

I quickly examined the box.

There was a letter attached to the top of the box. A small emblem was drawn on one corner of the envelope. It was a familiar emblem.

It was an emblem I had seen so much on Founding Festival day that it was burned into my eyes.

‘This is definitely the Imperial emblem…?’

I called out to Adam, who had followed me out.

I quickly took the initiative before he could ask another strange question.

But why was a box with the Imperial emblem placed here?

Considering the Emperor’s expression when I last saw him, it didn’t seem like it would be anything good.

‘Ah, could it be from His Highness the Prince?’

Hmm, even after thinking about it, no particularly good thoughts came to mind. Since there was no reason for the Imperial Palace to give me any hints separately, it must be a gift meant for Adam.

I called out to Adam, who was looking down with a serious expression at Potato, who was showing his belly toward the Hero in the garden.

“Hero!”

“Hero? Are you not going to call me by my name anymore?”

Oops, I made a mistake with the title.

I had only been calling him Adam in my mind, and since it had only been a few days since I actually started saying his name out loud, I often made mistakes.

Each time that happened, Adam was noticeably disappointed.

“Ah, no! That’s not the problem—a letter and gift have arrived from the Imperial Palace.”

“A letter? Who is the sender?”

“Um…”

I turned the letter this way and that.

“There’s no sender written on it?”

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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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