I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 134

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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 134

 

In the branch manager’s office of the Golden Star Trading Company’s Holy Kingdom Branch, a strange scene was unfolding.

 

The branch manager covering her face with both hands and sighing. At the same time, Miril, the vice president of the Golden Star Trading Company. Those who knew her cold, rational demeanor and her constant composure would never have imagined seeing her like this.

 

Moreover, standing before her was an Elf, said to be extremely rare to encounter. Among them, a Dark Elf who existed only in rumors. The Dark Elf standing rigidly and gazing at Miril looked like a painting.

 

However, what was even stranger was the content of their conversation.

 

“You’re saying Lord Jude seems to have had his body taken by a demon?”

 

“…That’s correct.”

 

A demon.

 

The story of someone having their body taken by a demon was nearly fictional, something that only appeared in old records of Mages or Dark Mages.

 

Naturally, Miril’s reaction was negative.

 

“It’s an unbelievable story. In the first place, all the demons should have been subjugated by the Emperor, shouldn’t they?”

 

Even if it were possible for demons to take human bodies, it had only been a few years since Ruin Epeldor, the Second Hero who recently ascended to Emperor, had subjugated the Demon Realm.

 

Demons no longer existed. That was common knowledge among everyone, however.

 

“But the Demon Lord exists.”

 

The Demon Lord is real.

 

The king of all demons, the Demon Lord was also one of the demons. Even if all other demons had been destroyed by the Holy Sword, as long as the Demon Lord existed, one could not say there were no demons.

 

It was a fact everyone feared to speak of.

 

“Elves do not forget and live long lives. Though I didn’t directly experience the First Hero’s era, the traditions about demons have been passed down better compared to humans.”

 

The Dark Elf, Remal, spoke while looking directly into Miril’s eyes.

 

The intelligence of Elves surpasses that of humans. Though their library filled with wisdom had turned to ash along with the Great Forest, Remal, who had been close to the King, had already accessed considerable knowledge.

 

“After a life-threatening crisis, a sudden change in personality. Somewhat reckless behavior and abnormal results.”

 

“….”

 

With each word Remal spoke, Miril’s movements noticeably decreased.

 

Her face turned pale.

 

“These are also characteristics of those who made contracts with demons. Considering that Lord Jude is a Dark Mage, it’s not impossible. However….”

 

Her gaze, which seemed to find it utterly unbelievable, grew seriously somber.

 

“The biggest difference that can distinguish the two is a change in purpose.”

 

“Purpose?”

 

Miril asked back.

 

“The reason humans make contracts with demons is mainly to achieve purposes they cannot accomplish with their own power.”

 

Those who walked the path of Dark Magic despite knowing they would be ostracized continued to appear. The reasons were varied: because they were ignored by academia, for revenge, or simply wanting power.

 

Similarly, demons should not be trusted. Even though such maxims were spread as common sense, there were consistently those who made contracts with demons.

 

In the end, it was desire. In other words, it could be said to be for achieving one’s purpose.

 

“Therefore, if it’s merely a contract. Even while losing their humanity, they don’t lose their original purpose. Rather, they gradually become buried in it and are destroyed.”

 

Contracts with demons were one of the most certain means of achieving one’s purpose.

 

Because the power of demons, beings from another dimension and clearly a superior species, could easily fulfill human desires.

 

Stealing the heart of a desired lover, obtaining vast amounts of gold. Even becoming the king of a nation was easy. But the price paid for it cannot be fully expressed with words like “enormous.”

 

“Being so obsessed with their purpose that they lose their humanity and ultimately destroy it with their own hands…. They become entertainment for demons. However.”

 

Remal spoke slowly.

 

“When demons take over bodies, it’s different. They quickly achieve the original goal…. We consider that the price of the contract. Anyway, they move toward completely different purposes than before.”

 

Miril’s face had become so pale that she looked like she might collapse at any moment.

 

Even while sitting, her body swayed.

 

What she was thinking of was her only family. The face of the one who had grown a failing trading company into the continent’s largest scale in just a few years and now held the position of the Empire’s minister.

 

“It’s difficult to distinguish but not impossible. Since Lord Jude awakened. I’ve been devoted to figuring this out until now.”

 

Remal didn’t stop speaking even though she knew Miril’s condition was strange.

 

Miril, who had repeatedly wiped her face with her hands, barely managed to open her mouth.

 

“So the conclusion you reached is….”

 

“What currently occupies Lord Jude’s body is a demon. Among them, the Demon Lord.”

 

“….”

 

A moment of silence.

 

Letting out what must have been her umpteenth sigh and wiping her face once again, Miril barely managed to speak.

 

“I understand what you’re saying for now. However….”

 

“Do you need time to think?”

 

However, Miril soon straightened her posture.

 

“No. If the Demon Lord truly possessed his body, this would be an urgent situation. You said you needed my help. Does that mean you have a solution?”

 

Though her face remained pale, her voice regained strength. She asked while looking straight into Remal’s red eyes.

 

“Tell me. What do I need to do?”

 

“There are currently six divine relics released into the world.”

 

“Six divine relics?”

 

Remal looked at her unwavering eyes for a moment, then turned her head.

 

“Yes. The World Tree’s branch, the Dragon’s heart, the Eternal Ice, the Great Demon’s horn. And the essence of Hell’s fire. Looking at your benefactor’s actions so far, recovering them must be very important work.”

 

In Miril’s mind, strange incidents that had occurred across the continent came to mind.

 

The Dragon that attacked the Empire, the unmelting ice that froze it whole. Rumors that the World Tree had been revived. The darkness that covered the Holy Kingdom’s capital, and the Fire Giant that threatened the capital again recently.

 

Remal said all of those were related to Jude. That wasn’t all.

 

“All of that went through the Golden Star Trading Company.”

 

The statement that the culprits behind those strange incidents had gone through the Golden Star Trading Company. Though it was hard to believe, a memory that had been sleeping in a corner of Miril’s mind surfaced.

 

The day they were attacked in the Holy Kingdom, the cold ice fragments that blocked their attackers.

 

If that was the same thing that froze the Dragon… Though it was hard to believe Remal’s words, it wasn’t entirely without some connection.

 

Remal said that divine relics were needed to solve this matter.

 

“The World Tree is still difficult. It hasn’t developed enough intelligence to distinguish between the Demon Lord and your benefactor. At this rate, even the World Tree might fall into the Demons’ hands.”

 

However, all the others had either been recovered by Jude or fallen into the Emperor’s hands. It was a desperate situation.

 

Then, Miril suddenly raised her head.

 

“Wait a moment. What you just mentioned was only five things.”

 

“The last one.”

 

Remal said with a hardened expression.

 

“We must obtain the Spirit’s Tear.”

 

“The Spirit’s Tear…?”

 

That thing, which had not yet been revealed to the world, was the only key to solving this matter.

 

“In the era when Gods actually existed in this world. Gods, in other words, were also called spirits. Among them, there was something specifically called a spirit. Truly a God among Gods, a spirit among spirits. You could even call it a king.”

 

“A king…”

 

“Tracking down and recovering its whereabouts. The only clue is that it went through the Golden Star Trading Company.”

 

“….”

 

It was something from years ago. They didn’t even know its proper form, nor whether it was true.

 

Even if it really had gone through the trading company, that was before the company had grown to its current size. In other words, before the company building was burned down by the Holy Knights.

 

No matter how exceptional one’s abilities, it was impossible to guarantee success.

 

“There aren’t many people I can mobilize immediately. Both the Dawn Organization and the trading company are mostly under my brother Dahan’s control.”

 

“Do you need additional manpower? The Elves of the Great Forest are prepared to repay their debt.”

 

“That’s fortunate. But I’m not entirely without influence either. I’ll find it even if I have to go through every ledger of the trading company.”

 

However, Miril nodded her head.

 

Rather, because it seemed like an impossible task, she decided to approach it even more actively.

 

After all, a merchant must never forget either favors or grudges.

 

Having received the debt of life, hadn’t she resolved to dedicate her lifetime to repaying that favor? Miril, who had thought that far, felt something strange but soon shook her head and asked.

 

“What else needs to be done besides that?”

 

“One thing. There is something that comes to mind.”

 

* * *

 

Billy was one of the continent’s most renowned Theater Actors.

 

It hadn’t been that way from the beginning. Just a few years ago, he had been a Deserter from a small country located in the southern part of the continent.

 

Though some might criticize him as a Deserter who knew no honor, he had his own justification. Even Count Andril, the Lord and Sword Master who had vowed to subjugate the High-rank Dark Mage, had died in that battle. If he hadn’t deserted, he would have died long ago.

 

He formed a theater troupe while wandering with other Soldiers who had fled together.

 

The theme was simple. The bravery of Johnny, the Squad Leader of Ten who had sacrificed his life to save them and ultimately defeated the mad High-rank Dark Mage.

 

The humble play quickly gained popularity when rumors spread that it was based on true events. The troupe grew, and the play received incomparably larger investments than before. Famous actors lined up begging to be cast.

 

The peak came when Johnny became the Hero.

 

Though he had been hailed as a Hero by the people before, receiving recognition from the Goddess and the Holy Sword was on a different level entirely.

 

But Billy had lost his previous passion.

 

It wasn’t just Billy. The other Companions who had started the troupe together felt the same way. This was because the troupe had grown, and they had the opportunity to see Hero Johnny’s face, even from afar.

 

With the anticipation of being able to see their benefactor’s face again, everyone was full of expectations. Even if they couldn’t fully repay their life debt, they all tried to repay the favor in their own way.

 

But the Johnny they actually saw was different from the Squad Leader they remembered.

 

Neither the ash-gray hair like burnt cinders, nor the face that still retained traces of youth. He was clearly a different person to anyone who looked.

 

Whatever had happened, their acts of honoring their benefactor were elevating the reputation of a completely different person. It was only natural that they could no longer find their initial passion.

 

“So it’s you guys?”

 

One day, as they were listlessly repeating their performance, a woman who had come to the waiting room spoke.

 

“How did you get here? Only authorized personnel are allowed…”

 

“Johnny. No, the kids who were saved by that cheeky Little Kid named Jude.”

 

“Jude? Don’t talk nonsense…”

 

“W-wait, Billy. That woman, isn’t she that woman from back then?”

 

“That woman from back then? What…”

 

Even though their passion had faded recently, putting on the play meant they were always recalling that time.

 

That’s why they could recognize her. It was a face they had seen, even if from a distance.

 

“This thing, it’s supposed to be for repaying that Child’s kindness, right?”

 

“What are you talking about since earlier…”

 

“The Child Dark Mage with ash-gray hair. Your Squad Leader, I mean.”

 

The female Mage who had faced the Dark Mage alongside their Squad Leader. Melissa said with a smile.

 

“Don’t you want to properly repay your debt?”

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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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