I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 19

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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 19

 

Inside the Golden Star Trading Company office.

 

Dozens of people were busily organizing documents.

 

“Phew… This is exhausting.”

 

Dahan, the trading company owner’s son, let out a sigh.

 

“It is exhausting. But thinking about the past, it’s much better now, isn’t it?”

 

At the smiling staff member’s response without even looking up from the documents, Dahan gave a faint smile.

 

“Right. That’s true.”

 

The Golden Star Trading Company right after graduating from the Academy was incomparably smaller than it was now.

 

A place that couldn’t live up to the name “Golden Star” and barely scraped by day after day. Part of the reason included sending the heir to the Imperial Academy with its expensive tuition fees.

 

That’s why Dahan had to revive the trading company by any means necessary.

 

Even if it meant betraying his closest, most capable friend.

 

“How’s the hiring of new staff going?”

 

Dahan, who had been lost in thought for a moment, shook his head and spoke.

 

“We’re still accepting applications.”

 

Finding capable people wasn’t easy.

 

It was different from the Imperial Academy where talented individuals were everywhere you looked. The Kingdom’s education level was dismal, and the capable few already had secure positions.

 

Even most of those present here were newly hired as they expanded their business recently. While it proved how much effort they put into increasing personnel, it was far from enough considering the current workload.

 

But they couldn’t just hire anyone. There were quite a few cases of rival trading companies attempting infiltration through fake employment.

 

For the Golden Star Trading Company, whose business scale had grown rapidly in a short time, this was the most concerning scenario.

 

“…Tell them to hire anyone who can handle the basics for now.”

“Young master? But then…”

“We can teach them the work gradually, and we’ll be careful with verification during that process. It should be fine as long as we exclude them from important tasks.”

“Understood. I’ll relay that message.”

 

The risk was worth taking.

 

With the trading company’s rapid growth, rumors were circulating that even the Royal Family was showing interest.

 

If they could just get through this period well, they could expect incomparable results.

 

‘Simone…’

 

At times like this, what came to mind was his capable friend’s face.

 

Due to his naive personality, he didn’t suit being a merchant well, but his abilities were certain. He was a scholarship student who received tuition exemption until graduation at the Empire’s Academy.

 

If he were to join the trading company, the workload intensity would surely decrease immediately.

 

But such a thing would never happen.

 

It was Dahan himself who had betrayed his naive friend and stolen everything from him.

 

“Young master.”

 

At the voice that broke his reverie, Dahan turned his head to see a staff member’s ambiguous expression.

 

“Downstairs, someone hoping to join the trading company has come. From the test questions we gave, he answered them quite well, so he seems ready to be put to work immediately…”

“But?”

“Well…”

 

The staff member hesitated for a moment before answering.

 

“He says he’s a mage.”

“…A mage?”

 

* * *

 

The Demon Lord’s faithful subordinate, Simone Dupe, looked more like a wise scholar than a merchant.

 

At least, that was his first impression.

 

“Humans are vile and evil! They should be erased from this world!”

 

With completely shattered glasses and a distorted face, spitting as he denounced, he didn’t look wise at all.

 

“Contract forgery, how could they commit such an absurd act without batting an eye…!”

 

-Haah…

 

The Demon Lord let out a deep sigh. If he had hands, he would surely be clutching his throbbing head.

 

‘Is that really something to get so angry about?’

 

It was natural to be angry as a victim of fraudulent contracts, but he was still a demon, wasn’t he? For a member of a race that specialized in deceiving and tricking others more than anyone, it was a somewhat strange sight.

 

-For demons, contracts are absolute. While they can break them if they’re determined, they suffer considerable losses depending on the extent.

 

According to the Demon Lord, it seemed demons were born with Soul Contract Magic built into them.

 

For humans who don’t trust each other and even start priest relationships with soul contracts, this is enviable.

 

-…I don’t think that’s typical though. Well, anyway, most demons can’t even imagine breaking a contract. The less experience they have in the human realm, the more so.

 

That inexperienced demon appears to be Simone.

 

Among all the many demons, choosing him was apparently due to his innate characteristics, but that choice became the trigger that completely blew away the Demon Realm’s assets.

 

“All the businesses I invested in either failed or backed out, and when I came to my senses, only debts had piled up. Ah, my master. This incompetent demon…”

 

Simone shed tears and tried to prostrate himself again. Thinking he might really die if he banged his head a few more times, I reflexively stretched out my crossed legs.

 

“Guk…!”

 

I thought I had adapted somewhat, but perhaps I’m still not used to this grown body.

 

Simone’s head, struck by my toes, bounced in the opposite direction and rolled across the floor.

 

‘…He’s not dead, is he?’

-He’ll be fine. It’s because that guy is weak, the actual force wasn’t that great.

 

A moment of silence passed without even the sound of breathing.

 

“Heh, hehe…”

“…?”

“The Demon Lord’s sacred body…”

 

Creepy.

 

At the muttering sound while bleeding from his mouth, chills ran down my spine.

 

-…Let’s think about how to retrieve the Eternal Ice for now.

 

The Demon Lord said, turning away from the reality before us.

 

-Even if they’ve applied magical processing to the holy sword materials, we can’t be at ease forever. It wouldn’t be strange if someone unraveled the magic and discovered their true value, and some materials might get damaged.

‘Then we need to retrieve them quickly.’

-The problem is the method. Let’s go outside first.

 

Leaving Simone, who still hadn’t regained his senses, I quickly headed outside. As soon as I stepped out the door, the refreshing air lifted my spirits.

 

-Let’s postpone infiltrating using deception magic for now. We still don’t know where the Eternal Ice is being stored.

 

Now that my mana core had been greatly strengthened by passing the first trial, I could only maintain deception magic for a few minutes at most.

 

Even though it was useful for avoiding the Holy Knight Order’s pursuit, it was woefully insufficient for searching the vast interior of that trading company.

 

“Then if I use the Military Spirit…”

-Well. If that spirit body directly touches it, it would take quite a hit. Would that be okay?

 

If the Military Spirit suffered major damage and couldn’t be restored, my immediate combat power would be greatly reduced.

 

Even if not as much as the Eternal Ice, the Military Spirit was rare enough to surprise the Demon Lord. It would be better to save it for this matter.

 

“Hmm…”

 

Just as I was about to enter the inn again without finding an answer to my dilemma, a paper attached in front of the Golden Star Trading Company caught my eye.

 

“Job posting?”

 

It was a notice seeking people to work at the trading company – cart drivers, workers to carry cargo, and such.

 

-Not bad.

“…You want me to apply there?”

 

Certainly, if I could work inside the trading company, it would be good for examining the interior, but becoming a driver or porter didn’t seem like it would be much help.

 

-No, that’s not it. Look below that.

 

What was written in the direction the Demon Lord pointed was “Office Staff Recruitment.”

 

“Office staff? The qualifications are…”

 

Must be able to read and write, and be skilled at calculations.

 

Reading wasn’t a big problem, but I was worried about the latter. I’d rarely had occasion to do calculations in my life.

 

-Don’t worry.

 

Even with the Demon Lord’s words, I wasn’t reassured and hesitated on the spot when a girl walked out from inside the trading company.

 

“What are you doing here?”

“Uh… I was looking at the posting.”

“Ah. Shall I read it for you?”

 

The girl said that and stepped closer to my side.

 

“Let’s see. You look like you have a good build. Do you have experience doing similar work?”

“No, that. The office staff posting.”

“Hm?”

 

The girl’s face, which had shown a puzzled expression for a moment, brightened.

 

“Can you read?”

“That’s why I was looking at the posting.”

“Ah, then calculations…”

“That too, well.”

 

The girl hurriedly grabbed my collar and pulled me inside the trading company. I had unexpectedly entered my target location. I tried to calmly take in my surroundings, but the girl didn’t give me time for that.

 

“Can I have you take a simple test first?”

 

Without waiting for an answer, the girl seated me at a desk on one side. Soon she thrust a sheet of paper in front of me.

 

“Solve these.”

 

Problems densely written on the paper. There were quite a few uncommon words mixed in that weren’t used in daily life, making it look challenging even for those confident in their reading skills.

 

‘Let’s see. Wheat at 3 silver coins per sack for 10 sacks, meat at 1 silver coin per chunk for 50 chunks, purchased and taken to a village a day’s journey away to sell. When selling, wheat was 5 silver coins per sack….’

-52 silver coins. They gained a total profit of 70 coins and paid 18 as workers’ wages, leaving that amount.

 

The Demon Lord gave me the answer before I could even finish reading the problem.

 

I was skeptical, but the Demon Lord was bound by constraints that prevented him from lying to me. Seeing him answer with such confidence, it must be correct.

 

‘Then what about this one?’

-2 gold coins, 16 silver coins.

 

After writing down the answer the Demon Lord gave me, I pointed to the next problem and the answer came as if he’d been waiting.

 

It was a moment when I could understand why the Demon Lord had told me to apply for office work.

 

The time it took to write all the answers to the densely packed problems was merely an instant.

 

“My, my goodness. You’re already done solving them all?”

 

The girl who had been watching me solve the problems from a step away approached in shock.

 

“…It seems so.”

“I’ll grade them. Just a moment.”

 

The girl held a new sheet of paper and frantically checked the answers. Circle marks were added to the paper one by one.

 

‘Amazing….’

 

The speed at which she compared and checked answers was slower than the speed at which the Demon Lord had given them.

 

-Tch. It’s not difficult. Same goes for you.

‘Me?’

-It’s a matter of familiarity. What would be difficult for someone who modifies magic circles in their head?

‘Is that how it is….’

 

Just as I was about to feel embarrassed by the Demon Lord’s words, the girl who had finished grading spoke in bewilderment.

 

“You really got them all right….”

“Did I?”

“It’s not ‘did I?’ With this level, you could be put to work immediately. Wait a moment. I’ll bring the contract. When can you start working?”

 

The girl moved busily, searching for documents.

 

“Have you ever worked at other trading companies? What exactly did you do before?”

 

I pondered the girl’s question for a moment before answering.

 

“A mage. Apprentice level.”

 

Not just a mage, but a Dark Mage, though.

 

* * *

 

Dozens of mounted knights slowed their pace in front of the city gate.

 

“The trail ends here.”

“The Kingdom Capital, huh. Tch. Can’t be helped with so many people around.”

 

Pure white armor without a speck of dust. Sturdy white horses that would be insulting to compare to ordinary military horses.

 

It was the Holy Knight Order, the pride of the Religious Order.

 

When citizens who had only heard of the Holy Knight Order in stories stared at them with curiosity, the expressions of several knights twisted with displeasure.

 

“Shall we return?”

“No.”

 

The Knight Commander shook his head and spoke.

 

“We go to the Order Branch. After contacting the main organization, we’ll need cooperation at the kingdom level.”

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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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