I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 16

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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 16

 

On a morning when cold wind was blowing.

 

The area in front of the city gate, once bustling, was now utterly deserted with no one trying to pass through. The guards protecting the city gate were yawning and chatting, but closed their mouths when they saw their captain’s face glaring at them.

 

Guard Captain Johnny, who had been watching the newly recruited guards after the disaster, let out a big sigh and hardened his expression.

 

Two people approaching from the opposite side. Their faces hidden by black robes reminded him of the recent disaster.

 

“Stop! Show your faces.”

 

The guards picked up their weapons with tense expressions. Their bodies half-leaning backward seemed to have escape in mind.

 

Just as Johnny, cursing inwardly, stepped forward.

 

“You’re all working hard.”

 

One of the approaching figures pulled back the robe covering his head and spoke.

 

What was revealed was a middle-aged man with a strong impression. He took out a small medallion from his chest and showed it.

 

“Just to be sure, this is Belive Territory, correct?”

“Correct, but this is…”

“It’s a medallion proving my status as a Free Knight.”

 

Johnny’s expression, who had been examining the medallion with suspicious eyes, changed drastically. It was because he discovered the Royal Crest embedded in the center.

 

“The timing didn’t work out so I couldn’t stand on the battlefield with the Hero, but I’m on a pilgrimage out of admiration for him. I understand this is the city closest to the Demon Realm.”

“My apologies. …And the person beside you?”

“Ah, that’s my companion. He has a rather difficult personality. I hope you’ll understand.”

 

Johnny, who had frowned briefly, answered as if he had no choice.

 

“Understood. Welcome to Belive Territory.”

“Thank you.”

“However, the atmosphere in the territory hasn’t been good lately, so please be careful.”

 

The knight naturally passed by him and answered.

 

“I already know about that.”

 

Leaving behind the Guard Captain who was looking at him with puzzled eyes, how far had the man walked?

 

From inside the deeply pulled robe, a young woman’s voice was heard.

 

“My personality is difficult?”

 

A sharp voice. However, the man answered indifferently.

 

“Don’t mind it. Unlike me, your face is quite well-known, isn’t it?”

“Not to the extent that they’d recognize me in a backwater place like this.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being careful.”

 

The woman sighed.

 

“Yes, yes. I understand. You think you’re so great, don’t you?”

 

Letting the woman’s sarcasm flow past him, the knight surveyed the surroundings.

 

“I don’t see any particular traces. It must be because quite some time has passed.”

 

The traces of battle like soldiers’ corpses, weapons and armor, and bloodstains had mostly disappeared long ago. But there was something else that wouldn’t be easily erased, just like the expressions of those who lost their relatives.

 

The man bent down and swept the ground with his hand, then signaled to the woman, and a muttering voice leaked out from inside the robe.

 

“Finding Mana.”

 

Strange waves spread out in a circle centered on the woman.

 

“Did you find it?”

 

The man asked the woman who was concentrating with her eyes closed for a long time, but what came back was an irritated answer.

 

“Be quiet. It’s not like it’s been a day or two, do you think it’s easy to find traces from several weeks ago? It’s only possible because this is a backwater place. If it were a city, it would be impossible to even dream of.”

“Understood. I’ll wait.”

“Really, this is why those who stupidly just build muscle are… If you make noise one more time, I won’t let it slide… Found it!”

 

The woman opened her eyes wide and moved her steps without hesitation. The man, who was about to say something at her appearance, remembered the earlier warning and quietly followed.

 

The place they arrived at was a small general store. As if it had been carefully maintained, the exterior was quite neat.

 

“Welcome.”

 

Without responding to the shop owner’s weak greeting, the mage began looking around.

 

The man sighed and spoke to the shop owner in her place.

 

“The store seems a bit empty…”

“Ah.”

 

The shop owner paused for a moment at the unexpected question before answering.

 

“Originally, these were things that strangely wouldn’t sell. After my husband left, they strangely started selling well.”

“…My condolences.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s been quite a while since then.”

 

The shop owner forced a smile.

 

The man selected a small flower pot near the counter, handed over a gold coin, and continued speaking.

 

“I’d like to ask you a few things. When you say your husband passed away, by any chance…”

“Yes. It’s that Dark Mage’s doing. My husband worked in the Guard Unit.”

 

The shop owner answered, showing no interest in the gold coin.

 

“Others seem to be calling that guy a Hero or whatever… Well. Even so, a Dark Mage being a Hero? Is that even reasonable?”

“…”

“Who knows. If my husband were still alive, I might have thought the same way. Fortunately, my husband’s companions look after me, so life isn’t too difficult. …There was a child I’d grown quite fond of, but I haven’t seen them since that day.”

 

The shop owner said this and sat down. Only then did the man notice that her fingernails were torn to pieces.

 

“But don’t you need to go?”

“Pardon?”

“Your companion seems ready to leave first.”

 

Only then did the man turn to look at the Mage, offer his farewell, and head outside.

 

“Excuse me. Well then.”

 

The unclaimed flower pot and gold coin remained on the counter.

 

After wandering around various places for a while longer, the man asked the Mage.

 

“So, what do you think?”

“From the faint traces of mana remaining, it does seem to be a Dark Mage… I’m not sure. What kind of magic was used, what level it was.”

“…”

 

When the man looked at the Mage with coldly cooled eyes, she shouted as if indignant.

 

“I told you! It’s too late. Besides, the Religious Order and Magic Tower people already stirred everything up, so figuring out even this much is close to a miracle!”

 

At the woman’s words, the man asked back as if puzzled.

 

“I understand about the Religious Order, but even the Magic Tower?”

“Isn’t it obvious? No matter how disowned he was, it’s still the death of the Red Tower Master’s direct descendant.”

“Hmm.”

 

The woman who had been fuming for a while sighed, exhausted by the man’s lack of reaction.

 

“Still, coming all the way here doesn’t seem to be completely in vain.”

“Is that so?”

“The magic that guy manifested that day was at least hundreds of times. That frequency would be difficult even for me. Even if it was low-rank magic, and there’s no way he only used low-rank magic.”

 

The Mage spoke with conviction.

 

“If that level of Dark Magic was unleashed, normally the entire city would be polluted beyond human habitation. But looking at the current situation, his disposition seems rather moderate. As for his skill, that goes without saying.”

“I see.”

“Right. Whatever happened, he’s definitely a high-ranking Dark Mage who refused the Demon Lord’s summons and survived.”

 

At the Mage’s assertion, the man fell into deep thought.

 

“What are you pondering?”

“Naturally, I can’t help but be conflicted.”

 

The existence of a powerful Mage would be welcome, but if his identity was a high-ranking Dark Mage…

 

“He saved the poor people while risking the exposure of his hidden identity. If you set aside the fact that he’s a Dark Mage, couldn’t this be more perfect?”

“Can we really set that aside?”

 

Dark Mages are evil.

 

They worship demons to gain power and knowledge, and don’t hesitate to perform human sacrifices.

 

“Just as not all Priests are good, not all Dark Mages are evil either.”

 

At the Mage’s additional words, the man concluded his thoughts.

 

“True. That’s probably why rumors calling him a Hero spread. Hero, Hero…”

 

The man muttered as if savoring the word for a moment, then spoke.

 

“It’s something I’ll have to decide after meeting him, but let’s lean toward recruitment for now. And.”

 

A smile bloomed on the man’s face for the first time.

 

“Contact the Main Organization.”

“What should I say?”

“The birth of a new Hero. Tell them to spread that rumor.”

 

* * *

 

Late at night.

 

A group of people was riding horses through the forest path.

 

“Is it still far?”

“The traces are getting closer. We’ve almost caught up.”

 

Breathing that remained completely steady even while riding frantically galloping horses.

 

Powerful white horses incomparable to ordinary war horses. White armor wrapped around their entire bodies. Sacred relics each of them carried.

 

These were the ones who had received revelation about the Demon Lord’s appearance and set out to investigate the Demon Realm. They were the Holy Knight Order, one of the Religious Order’s strongest forces.

 

Light fatigue showed on their faces. This was a scene rarely seen among Religious Order members who could recover stamina with Divine Power.

 

“They seem within reach but keep slipping away.”

 

In the city they had stopped at to investigate the Demon Realm, after hearing rumors about a Dark Mage who had caused a massacre. It had already been over a week since they began tracking those traces.

 

Even though they weren’t Inquisitors who specialized in hunting Dark Mages, it was quite a situation that could hurt their pride.

 

“But Commander.”

“What is it?”

“It’s just one Dark Mage, do we really need to chase him this far?”

 

Only one member asked the question, but the expressions of the others weren’t much different.

 

The Knight Commander’s expression hardened as he slowly reduced his horse’s pace, came to a complete stop, and spoke.

 

“We set out to investigate the Demon Realm following the revelation that a new Demon Lord has been born. Don’t you understand what it means that traces of a Dark Mage have appeared at this very time?”

 

The members let out sounds of realization as if they had finally understood something.

 

“Everyone stay sharp. Our opponent might not be human.”

“Th-then isn’t it dangerous? For just us to face the Demon Lord…”

“If it were a Demon Lord with full power, yes. But.”

 

If that bastard had been a complete Demon Lord. No, even if he had been at the level of a high-ranking demon, the entire city would have vanished without a trace. But according to their interrogation of the surviving poor people, he seemed to have sustained considerable injuries in battle.

 

“At that level, our current forces are sufficient for subjugation. In the name of the almighty Goddess. So let’s go. We have no time to waste.”

 

The Holy Knights spurred their horses once again. Despite hearing they might face a Demon Lord, their morale was stronger than before.

 

After riding for a long time, they arrived at a small clearing in the middle of the forest.

 

A campfire with embers still glowing and a half-packed travel bag. Anyone could see it was a scene where someone had hastily left just moments ago.

 

The members dismounted and quickly searched the surroundings before gathering together.

 

“The trail ends here.”

“What about mana?”

“There are no traces of magic use either. It’s as if he just evaporated…”

 

The Knight Commander’s expression twisted at the member’s words.

 

“It seems he used some evil sorcery. Spread out and search. He couldn’t have gone far yet.”

“Yes!”

 

The members quickly scattered.

 

The Knight Commander, who had remained until the end looking down at the clearing, also moved to search for the Dark Mage.

 

How much time had passed since then?

 

One side of the empty clearing rippled, and a person revealed themselves.

 

“…Phew. I almost died.”

 

A man with a pale, ashen face. He was a young man who could no longer be called a boy.

 

-You’re being overly dramatic. Both your body and mana core have grown incomparably compared to before. Compared to your first trial, this is nothing.

“That may be true, but…”

 

The young man’s identity was none other than Jude.

 

Based on the mana that had greatly increased through passing the trial, he had become able to maintain Deception Magic for quite a long time.

 

-There’s no time to chat. We don’t know when they’ll return, so move quickly.

“I know, I know.”

 

Jude picked up the bag that had been thrown on the ground and said.

 

“We’re almost there now. Right?”

-Yes, that’s right.

“Treasures hidden by the Demon Lord. I’m excited.”

 

The place he had left.

 

The campfire that had been burning alone could not withstand the wind and went out.

 

Darkness descended upon the forest.

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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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