I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 102

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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 102

 

After a bout of commotion, I was guided to the trading company’s reception room.

 

“That person over there is….”

 

Dahan, who had been smiling while offering tea, asked while looking at Remal.

 

It should be fine. When I nodded, Remal pulled back her robe. As her ashen skin, black hair, and red eyes were revealed, a small gasp escaped from beside me.

 

“Well, I had my suspicions, but… I never thought I’d meet the rumored Dark Elf.”

“Dark Elf?”

“Yes. It’s a story spreading among the survivors of the Papal Office. A black elf who appeared in the sacred chapel, massacred the believers, and insulted the Goddess. They say the ashen skin and red eyes are proof of corruption by demons.”

“….”

 

I turned my head slightly to look at Remal. What had she done alone while I was down underground? Did she spit on the altar or something?

 

Considering her usual words and actions, it wouldn’t be strange if she had built a tower of corpses. But Remal just sat quietly with an unreadable expression.

 

“They say the Holy Knights eventually defeated her, but that seems to have been false.”

“Yes, well.”

 

My consciousness wasn’t intact when I used necromancy, so I’m not certain, but if the Demon Lord hadn’t saved me, I might have been defeated by the Holy Knights as the rumors say.

 

“Let me say first that most of it is a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?”

“Remal is, well, this elf is not a demon worshipper.”

“Yes. My life exists entirely for the World Tree.”

 

Dahan shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Well, I suppose so. I didn’t really believe it was true anyway. What reason would an elf have to follow demons? Though it might be different if they promised to revive the World Tree.”

 

Remal flinched slightly.

 

Well, that would be enough for an elf. They were creatures who prioritized the World Tree above all else.

 

Perhaps there was already precedent in the past. Where else would spirit magic, which is infinitely close to dark magic, have originated?

 

‘But….’

 

From what I heard, it seemed information about the World Tree’s revival hadn’t spread much yet. Since there didn’t seem to be any benefit in talking about it at length, I changed the subject.

 

“May I ask why you’re sponsoring Johnny?”

 

Most of the rumors about what Johnny was said to have done were actually things I had accomplished. Since I had no desire for fame, I wasn’t particularly upset, but Dahan would have known that Johnny had nothing to do with those achievements.

 

In other words, Dahan knew that Johnny wasn’t a real Hero.

 

It was the Dawn Order that had tried to make Johnny into a Hero. So was Dahan also part of the Dawn Order?

 

“Hmm, yes. Since you seem to have some idea, I’ll tell you. I currently belong to the Dawn Order.”

“Since when?”

“Not long after Lord Jude left. Melissa healed Miril, you see.”

 

Melissa was the person who had been following me since Belive Territory. She had even made contact with me in Andril. And in between, she had even recruited Dahan.

 

“…That woman’s been busy.”

“Haha, indeed.”

 

Dahan laughed and drank his tea.

 

“The Dawn Order is an organization that can only survive by continuously drawing in those who hold grudges against the Religious Order.”

 

Prince Ator Balayh had said that the Dawn Order was an organization that wanted to make the continent belong to humans, not gods.

 

The idea of reclaiming the continent from a powerful god who influences the mortal world was not something ordinary people would think of. Recruiting personnel wouldn’t be easy. That’s probably why they had reached out even to a Dark Mage like me.

 

Dahan, who had lost his family when his trading company was burned by Holy Knights, would have been an optimal candidate in many ways.

 

“It didn’t seem like there would be any loss. Their influence spread across the entire continent, and to rebuild the trading company that had suffered great damage, I had to grasp at any straw. Thanks to that….”

 

Dahan shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Now I’ve been able to expand the trading company’s scale like this.”

 

When I worked at the trading company, I experienced how much profit trading with the royal family could bring. Since he had decided to join the Dawn Order, Prince Ator would have deliberately supported him.

 

Though that alone didn’t explain this kind of growth. But that wasn’t the only thing I was curious about.

 

“I understand the Dawn Order to be an organization hostile to the Holy Nation.”

“Are you curious about why we established a branch here and are helping rebuild the capital?”

 

Even if it wasn’t the will of the entire organization, this was the group that had tried to assassinate Albeng, claiming they would prevent the Holy Nation’s growth. There was no way I could understand such behavior.

 

“Our trading company is pouring a lot of money into this place. Enough to make those proud priests bow their heads. Being human myself, I find it secretly satisfying.”

 

I still haven’t forgotten the day our trading company burned, Dahan added quietly.

 

“It won’t take long to recover the invested money. Not to mention the influence in the Holy Nation that will be renewed in the future.”

 

So that’s why the organization tolerated it?

 

The Holy Nation would be rebuilt even without the Golden Star Trading Company’s help. They might have judged it profitable to take this opportunity to exert influence from within.

 

It seemed to make sense at first glance, but somehow the uneasy feeling didn’t disappear.

 

‘What am I missing?’

 

Just as I was about to press further, the reception room door opened.

 

“Sorry. I’m too late, aren’t I?”

 

Miril sat down, still fanning herself with her face flushed red. Dahan chuckled quietly. She might actually hit him at this rate.

 

Miril glared at Dahan with murderous eyes and said.

 

“I heard from my brother that you’ve met occasionally. I never thought it would be true…”

“Ah, ha…”

 

I could only laugh awkwardly.

 

The times I had met Dahan were only at the Magic Tower exchange meetings. Most of it was probably Dahan’s lies to tease Miril.

 

“I’m glad we could meet like this.”

“Yes?”

“How can you save someone’s life and then leave without a word? You should at least give me time to say thank you.”

 

I couldn’t carelessly open my mouth.

 

Miril thought I had saved her life.

 

The Holy Knights had come chasing after me. They had reached the Golden Star Trading Company following my trail and caused trouble looking for me. When you think about it, the very situation that put her in danger was because of me.

 

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I survived. Me and the trading company too. Though I wouldn’t have cared what happened to my brother.”

 

It was quite an uncomfortable situation to receive words of gratitude.

 

As I just held my teacup without saying anything, I could feel Remal looking at me strangely.

 

“Ah, if it’s alright with you, how about having dinner together? Of course, you’re welcome to stay for a few days. Miril seems to be secretly looking forward to it.”

 

He asked with a mischievous tone, winking one eye.

 

“Ah, brother!”

 

Miril, who had been listening from the side, struck Dahan’s back. For a moment, a choking sound came from Dahan’s mouth.

 

“Is he dead?”

 

The thought naturally slipped out of my mouth.

 

“I’m, I’m alive. Cough.”

 

* * *

 

The dinner at the trading company was quite satisfying.

 

Though I had occasionally stopped by nearby villages, I had spent most of the past few months sleeping outdoors and eating simple meals.

 

After putting greasy food in my stomach for the first time in a while, my body felt languid and my mood improved. Even Remal, who rarely showed emotions, had a relaxed expression.

 

Lying on the bed, I mulled over Dahan’s proposal.

 

‘If you wish, we can include you in the expedition.’

 

It was as if he could see right through why I was remaining in the Holy Nation. It wasn’t a very pleasant feeling.

 

Not because my thoughts were read, but because it reminded me of the past.

 

In Andril too, I had participated as a soldier in the expedition. It was to see the face of the bastard impersonating my Master, but the results weren’t very good.

 

The expedition was annihilated, and I had to defeat my Master with my own hands. Only a few squad members barely survived. My meeting with the Elf also began from there.

 

“Should I refuse?”

 

But it was too good a condition to refuse.

 

He said a considerable number of mages and priests were gathered to study the Great Demon’s darkness.

 

With the First Hero’s holy sword as well, with that many people, they would find a meaningful method before long. Just entering together when the expedition advances would solve half of my concerns.

 

The problem would be having to separate from Remal.

 

Her dark skin and ears are quite conspicuous. If she participated in the expedition, she would have to reveal them openly. Given the rumors of her being a demon’s minion, she certainly wouldn’t be treated well.

 

In that case, it would be better to separate and have her stay alone.

 

‘Though it’s unsettling that I can’t completely control mana yet, I’ve trained enough that it shouldn’t be a big problem.’

 

Besides, Remal’s stealth abilities are at a considerable level. Though it might hurt her pride a bit, if I ordered her, she could hide not too far away and watch over me.

 

Of course, there were other things that concerned me too.

 

Naturally, they would be in the expedition.

 

Johnny who became the Hero, and his companions Shtidy and Albeng.

 

I was acquainted with all of them in some way. Things didn’t end well with Johnny, but I could say I was on fairly good terms with the other two.

 

Now it’s all become a useless story.

 

When the Demon Lord took over my body, I didn’t completely lose consciousness like before. But it was hazy. I roughly knew what happened, but the memories were fragmented.

 

In those fragments of memory, their faces were there.

 

There was my image insulting the Goddess and calling myself the king of demons.

 

What emotions did they feel? Are they feeling betrayed, thinking I deceived them? Actually, when you think about it, I did deceive them. Probably I can no longer use my Green Magic Tower mage identity either.

 

What kind of face should he make if he encountered them in the expedition? One thing was certain: it would never be as harmonious a scene as before.

 

Using Deception to change his face would be fine, but his mana still wouldn’t obey him enough to maintain Deception for long periods.

 

Indeed, it would be better to refuse.

 

Still, the situation had improved considerably. He had learned that there was significant progress in Darkness Strategy, and most importantly, he had obtained supplies that could be used long-term.

 

He sighed and stood up from his seat.

 

Now that his body felt comfortable, idle thoughts were running wild. It seemed he should call Remal to work out his body.

 

He opened the door. Remal’s room was right on the lower floor. This was because Miril, who was born with considerable affinity, had pestered Remal to share her room.

 

This happened because there was only one guest room in the branch office. After spending several months together, it wasn’t a big deal to share the same room at this point. There was no particular reason to refuse either.

 

But, well. Considering that blunt personality, he wasn’t sure if Remal was enduring it well. It was obvious she would jump out joyfully if he called for her.

 

Just as he was about to cross the first floor corridor and knock on Miril’s door.

 

In addition to the laughter seeping out from inside, another sound stimulated his ears. It was a sound coming from far away, from the entrance of the trading company branch.

 

It was late. The trading company door had been closed long ago. If it were urgent business, they might knock on the door, but entering so quietly like this meant…

 

An intruder.

 

‘At least I’ll earn my keep.’

 

Thinking it was no big deal, he walked toward the entrance. Then both the intruder and I froze simultaneously.

 

“….”

“You are….”

 

Johnny was there.

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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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