I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 128

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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 128

 

Johnny’s suspicion was natural.

 

He knew that Jude’s impersonation of him was the beginning of everything.

 

Honestly, he couldn’t say he didn’t resent Jude, but by now he understood it somewhat. Being a Dark Mage and even committing the grave crime of murdering a lord, it was natural to try to hide his identity.

 

However, what completely twisted Johnny’s fate was his encounter with Dahan, the Golden Star Trading Company Owner.

 

The Golden Star Trading Company, now renowned as the continent’s greatest trading company. Even before he began earnestly acting as the Hero, it was already accelerating its growth with the kingdom’s full support.

 

Thinking about it, there was no reason for him to accompany Johnny. Yet not only did he travel with Andril, but he even brought Johnny, who was in trouble, to participate in the commanders’ meeting.

 

As a result, it worked out well for Andril and the Balaih Kingdom.

 

It was a situation where they could have been destroyed by the Holy Nation’s invasion if things went wrong. But what if something had gone even slightly wrong? If he had messed up the speech he memorized all night, or if the enemies’ Holy Power hadn’t suddenly weakened at that moment? If they had ignored it and continued their attack anyway?

 

Not only himself but the entire kingdom would have been reduced to ruins. Impersonating the Hero is a grave crime. The Holy Kingdom Soldiers would have trampled the kingdom without leaving even the slightest mercy.

 

Fortunately, the plan worked well… but rumors about Hero Johnny spread uncontrollably. From that point on, fate began to twist mercilessly.

 

He couldn’t even escape. He tried several times, unable to bear the burden, but was caught by the Green Tower Master and had no choice but to return.

 

He couldn’t understand it. No matter how many times he pondered, he couldn’t comprehend it.

 

Why did it have to be him? If they wanted to put forward a fake Hero, there would have been plenty of other candidates besides Johnny.

 

That’s where his doubts began. While he was confined, there was no way to solve it, but after becoming the real Hero and expanding his range of activities, strange things gradually began to catch his eye.

 

The greatest help came from Sherry.

 

She joined the party through the connection of having her life saved, and she had an excellent ability to gather information. Starting with subduing the organization that had been threatening her during her street pickpocket days, she established information networks in various parts of the continent.

 

Excellent work that was hard to believe she had accomplished in such a short time. Based on that organization, she investigated the Golden Star Trading Company’s movements and finally found a lead.

 

However.

 

“The Trading Company Owner? He’s away from his office right now. I’ll pass along your message when he returns.”

 

Johnny and his party, who had returned to the Imperial Capital, couldn’t confront the Trading Company Owner.

 

Had he known they would come and left his office in advance? Or was it simply because he was busy with work?

 

I found lodging near the trading company and visited for several days, but I couldn’t see Dahan.

 

“Where he is…”

 

“Well. There’s no information.”

 

Sherry shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. Johnny let out a sigh. It seemed there was no particular method other than waiting.

 

“Then… we have some time left?”

 

Shtidy, who had been picking at her food, paused for a moment before speaking.

 

“Can I go somewhere for a bit?”

 

Shtidy was from the Green Magic Tower. She would be curious about how the Green Magic Tower had changed while wandering the continent, and would also be worried about whether her acquaintances were safe.

 

Since she was one of the reasons for stopping by the capital in the first place, there was no reason to stop her.

 

“Then, shall we all go together.”

 

“A-all together?”

 

“What’s wrong with that. Let’s all move together, and we can also see the lover our mage has been hiding.”

 

When Albeng joined in with a sly smile, Sherry burst into laughter and hit his back. A gentle smile also appeared on Johnny’s lips.

 

The only one not laughing was the flustered Shtidy. Her brow, which would normally be deeply furrowed, was smooth, and there was no magic that would have already been completed. Instead, she hesitated as if embarrassed, causing laughter to burst out once again.

 

It was several hours later that the Hero’s party headed to the Green Magic Tower. What on earth had she done? Shtidy, whose dark circles had reached down to her chin just that morning but had now completely disappeared, hummed as she led the way.

 

In truth, it wasn’t a place Johnny particularly wanted to go. Even now, after completing all the trials, the fear of the Green Tower Master engraved in his body hadn’t completely disappeared.

 

He realized once again that he was still lacking to be called a Hero who transcended humanity. It might be the influence of skipping several trials as the Holy Sword had said.

 

However, visiting the Green Magic Tower wasn’t entirely meaningless.

 

The Green Magic Tower that had relocated to the Imperial Capital was quite different from when he had visited before. Cold wind didn’t seep through the walls, and sounds didn’t echo. Most importantly, the trees that had given off an eerie and unsettling atmosphere were gone.

 

Yet the overall structure was similar, but it gave off a luxurious atmosphere.

 

“Technology from hundreds of years ago is different from modern technology. We poured in all the support funds we received from here and there.”

 

A mage who came out to greet them, claiming to be Shtidy’s senior, explained with a smile.

 

“Let’s go. The Tower Master is waiting.”

 

When he operated a device in one corner of the lobby, the floor they were standing on rose up and floated toward the top floor. Shtidy and Albeng had calm expressions as if they had experienced this often, but for Johnny and Sherry, it was an unfamiliar experience.

 

“This too…”

 

“This is a technique that’s been in use from the beginning. When you came before, we couldn’t activate it. It requires quite a lot of magic stones.”

 

“Ah.”

 

While chatting, they reached the top floor. When the mage reached the front of the office and knocked, the door opened by itself.

 

“Oh my. Stand. The pride of our Magic Tower. I heard you returned to the capital and have been waiting for when you’d come.”

 

“It’s not Stand, it’s Shtidy. If you’re going to boast, you should do it properly.”

 

The Tower Master raised his aged body and welcomed them.

 

“And there’s the Hero and Saint… I’ve seen them before. The remaining one must be the rumored Black Flower.”

 

“…Black Flower?”

 

“Sit down first.”

 

As I took a seat and looked back at Sherry, she smiled awkwardly and turned her head away.

 

“Right. You must be quite busy, so what brings you here?”

 

“Nothing special. I had some business in the capital so I stopped by briefly, and since I came this far, it would be odd not to visit.”

 

“Good. You thought well. Think of this as your home and stay comfortably.”

 

“But…”

 

Shtidy, who had been looking around at the changed scenery of the office as if it seemed unfamiliar, opened his mouth.

 

“Is Senior Telon doing well?”

 

“…”

 

“I’ve sent him several letters during this time, but not once did I get a reply.”

 

The smile disappeared from the Tower Master’s face. But Shtidy, who was looking at the wall, didn’t notice this change.

 

“No matter how jealous he is, still, his cherished junior is active here and there. Instead of congratulating me, he ignores me. Isn’t that too much?”

 

“…Shtidy.”

 

“Obviously he seems to plan on continuing to ignore me until he produces some proper research results. I was going to wait, but since I came all the way here, I’m thinking of barging into his research room.”

 

“Shtidy!”

 

“Why are you shouting like that?”

 

Albeng and Johnny’s gazes met. Only Sherry failed to grasp the atmosphere.

 

“Listen without being surprised.”

 

“Don’t be surprised? You know that usually when people say that, it makes you more surprised, right? What, did that human finally manage to resurrect a dragon or something? Since we transferred the dragon bone fragment rights to the Magic Tower last time, it would be fortunate if it went well…”

 

Raising his hand, the Tower Master who cut off Shtidy’s words that showed no sign of stopping opened his mouth with difficulty.

 

“Telon is, gone.”

 

“…What? What do you.”

 

“I’m sorry for telling you so late.”

 

Flustered, Shtidy blinked his eyes.

 

“I was going to keep it secret until you defeated the Demon Lord. I thought it might interfere unnecessarily.”

 

“Don’t joke around. That Human, his goals were strange but his skills weren’t bad and he was serious about magic. There’s no way he would quit magic…”

 

“That’s not it.”

 

The Green Tower Master’s face contorted. Though his face was already wrinkled, the grief contained within was conveyed to everyone.

 

“Senior Mage Telon is missing. We’re tentatively assuming he’s dead.”

 

“….”

 

“As a result of tracking his traces, the last one to make contact with him was…”

 

Toward Shtidy who had frozen, even forgetting to breathe. The Tower Master spoke.

 

“Kaela Rowan. A companion of the Second Hero, and a woman presumed to be the current Black Tower Master.”

 

In that moment, an old memory flashed through Johnny’s mind.

 

The battle between the Dragon and Hero. Though it was too far to see clearly, the red light that fluttered near the Dragon’s head.

 

It was the same as Kaella Rowan’s hair color.

 

One assumption arose in Johnny’s mind. Regardless of the rumors, everyone who needed to know was aware that it was Kaella Rowan who had attacked the Empire using the Dragon. Needless to say, Shtidy and Johnny, who were involved parties, knew this.

 

Had Shtidy also thought of the same thing?

 

“When.”

 

“….”

 

“When did he disappear?”

 

“Before the Dragon attacked the Capital.”

 

Shtidy’s mouth, which had been silent, opened slightly.

 

“Ha.”

 

What came out was laughter.

 

“Ha, haha…!”

 

The laughter that began as a powerless chuckle soon filled the office without stopping. The Hero’s excellent eyesight didn’t miss that her hands were trembling.

 

How much time had passed? Around the time Sherry yawned as if bored.

 

“So, what you’re saying, Tower Master, is this?”

 

Shtidy asked, covering her face with her palm.

 

“Kaela Rowan, that woman killed Senior Telon. Is that right?”

 

“Circumstantially speaking.”

 

Shtidy, who had been burying herself in the office chair for a moment, kicked back her seat and stood up.

 

Johnny and his party hurriedly followed her out. The Mage who had been guiding them approached and tried to say something, but Shtidy ignored it and passed by.

 

“What are you planning to do?”

 

Johnny, who had barely caught up to Shtidy after leaving the Magic Tower, asked.

 

Shtidy’s footsteps, which had been moving without stopping, finally came to a halt.

 

“We haven’t caught the Demon Lord yet.”

 

“That’s true. We have no information at all about where he is.”

 

Albeng, who was panting, answered in place of Johnny.

 

“Let’s move separately for a while. We don’t have anything to do for the time being anyway.”

 

“….”

 

Without even making eye contact, Johnny fell silent for a moment at Shtidy’s words as she looked down at the floor, then asked.

 

“I’ll ask again. What are you planning to do?”

 

Shtidy was silent for a moment before raising her head. Her face bore what seemed like a forced smile.

 

“What I’ve been doing. Dark Mage Subjugation. It seems Dark Mages are gathered at a place called the Black Magic Tower.”

 

“That won’t get approval, will it? Can you handle it?”

 

“Do I need permission to kill Dark Mages?”

 

At Sherry’s words that seemed almost mocking, Johnny glared at her for a moment. Soon, Johnny looked straight into Shtidy’s eyes and said firmly.

 

“…I can’t allow solo action. We don’t know when information about the Demon Lord might come in.”

 

Just as he was about to open his mouth with a distorted expression at those words.

 

“Instead.”

 

Johnny said, placing his hand on Shtidy’s shoulder.

 

“Let’s go together. All of us.”

 

Shtidy looked at Johnny in surprise. Such a serious face. Albeng and Sherry, who were behind him, nodded their heads.

 

“But, they said permission wouldn’t be granted…”

 

“I’ll take responsibility. And you’re right. Who’s going to say anything when the Hero says he’s going to catch a Dark Mage?”

 

“Th, thank you.”

 

At Shtidy’s response, which seemed somewhat calmed down, Johnny let out a sigh.

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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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