I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 114

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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 114

 

The Elder, the Tower Master, had advised that since the research was expected to continue for a long period, I should pack everything I could take with me.

 

It was useless advice.

 

Though I had lived here for over ten years since childhood, led by my Master’s hand, I didn’t actually have much luggage. I had neither the time nor money to decorate with various items.

 

A few cherished books, spare clothes, and the staff I received from my Master – that was all. The child who used to be excited just learning magic had now become a mage worn down by reality.

 

“Should I write a letter?”

 

Since it would be difficult to send letters for a while, my family would worry. Though I hadn’t seen their faces in a long time, we had maintained steady contact. Recently, my younger sibling had mentioned thinking about marriage.

 

When I first entered the Magic Tower, they were just a newborn baby – when did they grow up so much? I still kept the letter where that kid who couldn’t even remember my face had written words of gratitude.

 

Yes. Once the research with the Holy Nation was finished, it wouldn’t be bad to visit home once. I wanted to see with my own eyes how my younger sibling had grown and whether my parents were doing well. If my sibling had a child, it wouldn’t be bad to check if they had any talent for magic while I was at it.

 

‘Though I have no intention of telling them to come to the Magic Tower.’

 

If they showed promise, it would be fine to support them with Academy tuition.

 

I couldn’t afford it now, but things would be different then. Though the proper research hadn’t even started yet, I was already excited as if I had succeeded.

 

“Mage Sevian. If you’re finished preparing, please come out quickly.”

 

“J-just a moment!”

 

I hurriedly grabbed my bag and ran downstairs.

 

Those who came to meet us from the Holy Nation maintained a cold attitude. It was natural since they were the ones who called magic an immoral discipline. But it would be troublesome to make a bad impression from the start.

 

Perhaps it was thanks to my efforts. The journey went smoothly.

 

The people from the Holy Nation weren’t exactly kind, but they were much better than the other mages from the Magic Tower. Thanks to that, I safely arrived at the research facility prepared by the Holy Nation while maintaining my excited mood.

 

“…This isn’t the Holy Nation though?”

 

“For security purposes, we decided to modify and use a facility we prepared in advance in this kingdom. Is there a problem?”

 

“No. Rather than a problem…”

 

In the letter I sent home, I had written that I would buy and send some souvenirs. Wouldn’t they be disappointed when we next meet?

 

‘It would have been nice if they had told me in advance.’

 

They said it was for security reasons, so I understood it was unavoidable. But I felt a little disappointed.

 

That feeling was only brief. After learning that the research laboratory’s location was fairly close to my hometown, I actually felt relieved. I could visit my family when I had time.

 

The research was busy.

 

There were countless tasks to do, but I only had one body. My stomach was constantly churning, and contrary to expectations, results weren’t coming easily, and the limitations of laboratory work were clear.

 

My thesis wasn’t something that could be researched in a place like this to begin with. That was the biggest reason I had hesitated about accepting the research collaboration request.

 

After a few months had passed, the Holy Kingdom Representative spoke.

 

“Now let’s move on to the next stage.”

 

Despite the continued failures, he was someone who never showed even a hint of disappointment. Only then did I realize that this had been the main point from the beginning.

 

“What do you mean? This next stage.”

 

“Artificial Talent Bestowal through Soul Manipulation.”

 

My hand, which had been frantically recording in my research journal during our conversation, stopped.

 

“Soul Manipulation? That’s impossible.”

 

“Why?”

 

“For that, Human Experimentation would be inevitable. There’s no telling how many people would be needed. Besides, I don’t even have Spirit Sight.”

 

But the Holy Kingdom Representative answered as bluntly as before.

 

“It’s fine. We already have some results on our end. With just a little stimulation, it’s possible to awaken Spirit Sight.”

 

He looked directly at me as he spoke. Suddenly, those cold eyes felt frightening.

 

“And we’ll provide the Test Subjects ourselves.”

 

“….”

 

“You’re not going to say you can’t do it now, are you?”

 

His voice contained no emotion whatsoever, but somehow I felt a strange sense of pressure.

 

“We’ve already reviewed your entire thesis. Human Experimentation isn’t your first time, is it?”

 

I could finally understand why they had built the facility so far from the Holy Kingdom, and what maintaining security really meant.

 

I couldn’t refuse. I couldn’t even imagine how many people they had fed into experiments to artificially awaken Spirit Sight. Would such people just let someone who had become this involved go free?

 

That was right. I had come in too deep to quit now.

 

“…If either of the two conditions is not satisfactory.”

 

“That won’t happen.”

 

Indeed, his words proved true.

 

Within just a few days, Johnny opened his Spirit Sight, and countless test subjects began pouring into the research laboratory.

 

At first, it was difficult. Even after staying up for several nights, he couldn’t sleep well.

 

But soon he became accustomed to it.

 

The souls that suddenly appeared while he was relieving himself, the test subjects screaming in agony. Cutting flesh, blood splattering. The incidents of tools breaking when caught on bone gradually decreased.

 

After receiving shared research data from the Holy Kingdom, results began to appear rapidly. His mind gradually filled with greed. The test subjects no longer looked like people to him. He mechanically repeated the process of dissecting people, extracting souls, processing them with mana, or bestowing them upon others.

 

He established various conditions and gathered information piece by piece. To suppress rejection reactions, he even attached different bodies together.

 

Then one day, he came up with an idea. Fetuses whose souls had not yet fully formed. If he could manipulate them, wouldn’t he be able to extract results more easily?

 

“That’s a good idea.”

 

The Holy Kingdom representative said this with a smile. Within a few days, pregnant women were included among the test subjects being supplied.

 

Suddenly, he thought of the letters he had brought with him, but he shook his head.

 

That wouldn’t do.

 

One dawn, while cleaning up the remains of experiments, he discovered a familiar necklace.

 

“Why…?”

 

He couldn’t have seen it wrong. It looked exactly like the one he had spent hours deliberating over before buying for his younger sibling who had announced their marriage. His memory, which had stood out even among mages, vividly recalled the memory from several months ago.

 

In fact, that was right. It had been quite some time since his younger sibling got married, so it wouldn’t be strange at all if they had a child by now.

 

“Ah, aah…”

 

* * *

 

After that, everything passed quickly.

 

He searched through the remains to confirm the owner of the necklace, but it was already a pile of garbage whose form could not be recognized. Of course, even if it had been intact, it wouldn’t have made any difference. Since entering the Magic Tower in his youth, he had never seen his family’s faces directly.

 

Claiming to be unwell for the first time, he applied for leave and visited his hometown, only to find it in ruins. The Village Chief of a nearby village told him. Recently, Slave Hunters had been extremely active. They were rampaging across borders, creating an ominous atmosphere.

 

He returned to the Research Laboratory, but could no longer focus on his research.

 

He rummaged through waste that hadn’t been burned yet. He could barely obtain a few bones that were in relatively good condition. He didn’t know if they belonged to his family or not. He chose to believe they did.

 

He couldn’t forgive anyone. Not the Slave Hunters, not the Holy Nation and the researchers in charge, not the Magic Tower and Tower Master who assigned such research, and most of all, not himself.

 

So he decided to burn it all.

 

He burned the Research Laboratory and all the research data. He was pursued by the Holy Nation and Magic Tower. In that process, he learned Dark Magic. The daily battles that continued helped him quickly internalize the knowledge he had accumulated.

 

At first, he was busy running away to survive, but at some point, he began defeating and overwhelming his Pursuers. It was after he completed his Secret Magic. Honestly, his appearance wasn’t very beautiful, but thanks to that, he no longer needed to hide and sleep in sewers or graveyards.

 

He learned that there were research data and Test Subjects that had been secretly taken before he burned everything. He found and attacked the Holy Nation’s Secret Research Facility. It was easy to discover while tracking Slave Traders across the continent.

 

Then one day.

 

How many times had it been? The Holy Nation wasn’t stupid either. The security of research facilities gradually became more thorough. When his burning desire for revenge was losing strength with the passage of time, and he was thinking he couldn’t do this anymore.

 

In a corner of the burning Research Laboratory, he discovered a tightly Sealed Box.

 

While frowning at the stench, he sensed a presence from inside. It was an extremely faint movement. Since his body couldn’t live properly anyway, he decided to at least end its life.

 

When he broke the Lock and opened the box, what was inside was a Child reeking of thick urine.

 

However.

 

He, who had reflexively tried to cast Magic, couldn’t help but hesitate. While other features bore no resemblance, those eyes alone seemed to perfectly resemble someone he thought of every time he exchanged letters.

 

“….”

 

With anxiously trembling eyes, the Child asked. Who are you? Why are you here?

 

He opened his mouth to answer several times, but couldn’t choose what to say.

 

He confirmed the consequences of his sins.

 

“I am a Dark Mage.”

 

Erasing all the thoughts that came to mind, he answered like that. That he was definitely not a good person. That he was a foolish human who ruined your life, my life.

 

He couldn’t be certain whether the dirty, innocent little brat before his eyes was really that person’s child. But what did it matter anyway.

 

It was reason enough to stop the revenge that was all that remained.

 

The memory ended there.

 

I realized in the Dark Abyss.

 

This wasn’t the memory of the absorbed Great Demon. It was the Soul Fragments absorbed long ago in the battle with Master. It was half the memory that the Demon Lord had taken from there.

 

“Why this…?”

 

The Demon Lord must have known from the beginning. Yet he hadn’t spoken of it until now, showing it to me at this moment. What could be the reason?

 

-It’s a reward.

 

“A reward?”

 

-You did well with this matter. Since you couldn’t obtain the Trial’s reward, I simply provided something else instead.

 

The Demon Lord spoke with a voice full of laughter.

 

“…”

 

Thanks to this, I was able to maintain my sanity even in the maddening storm of souls. I got to see parts of the past between Master and me that I hadn’t known before.

 

But I couldn’t smile.

 

I could vaguely understand. The Demon Lord hadn’t simply chosen not to show me this until now. It was closer to being unable to show it.

 

Even so, the fact that he revived and showed me Master’s memories that should have long since been absorbed into the Demon Lord’s soul and disappeared…

 

It meant that my soul and the Demon Lord’s soul had become that similar. By absorbing souls dozens of times greater than what I had absorbed before all at once, our already similar soul forms had become nearly identical.

 

-Still, now you’ve learned the source of that strange talent you possess.

 

The Demon Lord said.

 

The prototype of the Artificial Hero Project. Though it didn’t produce the best results, it was the successful creation of an experiment that had been designated as that Hero’s companion.

 

That was me.

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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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