I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 41

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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 41

 

“Ha, hahaha! You’ve developed quite an amusing talent for words. You’ve changed a lot since I last saw you.”

 

Master burst into laughter as if he had heard a joke. It seemed he wasn’t taking my answer seriously at all.

 

Even though he should know that I cannot lie due to the Soul Contract.

 

Every time his body shook with laughter, my body shook along with it. Each time the thorns embedded in my body moved, I felt the agony of my entire body being torn apart, yet my body remained intact.

 

No, the large and small wounds that appeared were instantly healed, making it seem as if they had never existed in the first place.

 

Even the Religious Order’s Archbishop’s spells couldn’t produce this level of Healing Effect. I was once again amazed by Master’s magic that transcended categories.

 

-Inefficient magic.

 

The Demon Lord whispered in a somewhat displeased tone.

 

-It merely does Absorption and Release. That’s why it’s powerful, but still inadequate. Must be the limit of innate talent.

 

I felt a surge of defiance. However, before I could say anything, the Demon Lord continued with a mocking voice. As always.

 

-Do you know how many humans’ worth of life force has entered your body right now? Excessive. Adding just a few intermediate processes could reduce consumption by more than half.

 

The Demon Lord’s words were certainly true. He cannot lie to me. Just like how I can only tell the truth to Master.

 

-Are you going to stay still? At this rate, you’ll die soon.

 

My life is now in Master’s hands. I don’t know what he intends to do with me right now, but seeing Master’s strange state that differs from my memories, I can’t feel completely at ease.

 

But there was nothing I could do.

 

I cannot lie to Master. I cannot harm Master. I cannot defeat Master, and I cannot disobey his commands.

 

I cannot rebel against Master.

 

That was the contract I had made with Master.

 

-Ha, how ridiculous. I thought you weren’t just any ordinary fool, but you made such a contract?

 

Was it my imagination that I felt even a small amount of anger in the Demon Lord’s voice? However, I had something to say as well.

 

“Yes. Since you made me laugh, I should give you a gift. Look at this. This is the Mage who nearly killed you.”

 

Something rose up from the floor.

 

Due to the tree branches that had pierced through his entire body, I wouldn’t have even thought it was a person if Master hadn’t told me.

 

Only after staring blankly for a while could I recognize that he was the man who had led the group of mages.

 

“Mmph, mmph…!”

 

He tried to say something with terror-filled eyes, but the thin branches that had pierced through his jaw joints and even his lips only allowed him suppressed groans.

 

“This is the one who dared to set out to subjugate me. I should have fed him to the sacred tree as nutrients long ago, but I suppose I should give my pathetic Disciple a chance for revenge.”

 

Perhaps my current appearance isn’t much different from his.

 

“Kill him.”

 

A good person. That’s what Master was like in my memories.

 

In my painful life, he came to me like a literal ray of light. I couldn’t help but want to be like him. To me, Master was more of a Hero than the Hero that people cheered for.

 

-You actually knew it all along, didn’t you?

 

Of course, through the past few months of living, I had vaguely realized that Master wasn’t as good a person as I had thought.

 

Mike and Amy from Belive Territory, the Guard Members including Johnny. The Trading Company people including Miril and Dahan whom I met in the Royal Capital, and Simone. Even the Bakery Owner and Recruitment Officer in Andril, and my subordinate Guard Members.

 

Although most ended badly, they had treated me warmly, even if briefly. Perhaps that warmth was even greater than what Master had given me.

 

Even so, he was the first person to treat me as a human rather than an object. How could that meaning not be special?

 

“Don’t you intend to kill him?”

 

As Master gestured as if disappointed, the Mage’s body hanging in mid-air split in half.

 

There was no blood or organs splattering everywhere. Just a few dried, twisted chunks falling to the floor.

 

-It’s like watching cheap puppet play.

“….”

 

I tried to squeeze my eyes shut. That was certainly… just because I didn’t want to see the Mage’s grotesque appearance.

 

But Master didn’t allow even that small act of looking away. He thrust his face in front of my eyes that wouldn’t close.

 

“Didn’t you like the gift?”

 

Despite the seemingly disappointed words, I could sense amusement. It was such faint amusement that I wouldn’t have noticed it if I hadn’t spent time with the Demon Lord.

 

“Then let’s go. Originally I had no intention of going together, but showing you might not be bad either.”

“…Where to?”

“You’re asking the obvious. Andril. There are plenty of sacrifices there for the sacred tree’s Resurrection.”

 

Master said this and then grabbed me. The ground rumbled, and from there countless branches. Or roots shot up.

 

It looked like a swarm of giant worms crawling. When I came to my senses, I was hanging like prey, being dragged toward Andril.

 

It wasn’t entirely unexpected, though not completely either.

 

Master had said he needed enormous life force for the World Tree’s resurrection. It was only natural that he would move to nearby territories to absorb people’s life force.

 

I don’t know how much time passed while I was unconscious. But the Guard Members I had saved were heading toward the territory. If Master went to the territory like this, they too would die as sacrifices for the World Tree’s resurrection.

 

And that wasn’t all. The Recruitment Officer, the Bakery Owner, the nameless Child, and all the Territory Residents would face the same fate. Master would become a calamity and sweep through Andril, the Kingdom… and eventually the entire Continent.

 

-Hmm… Did you grow fond of some humans while I was asleep?

‘No.’

 

I denied the Demon Lord’s words.

 

I couldn’t deny that I had met many people and felt many emotions over the past few months. But that didn’t mean it was reason enough to risk my life for people I barely knew.

 

It wasn’t to save people.

 

“I read Master’s Grimoire.”

 

Hanging beside Master, I forced my barely moving tongue and jaw to speak.

 

“Hmm? So now you’re ready to tell the truth. Yes, since when…”

“Offerings that sacrifice to transcendent beings including demons are nothing but garbage. It was clearly written that way.”

“…”

 

Master closed his mouth and stared at me intently.

 

“While those blocked by talent sometimes overcome barriers through offerings, that too depends on the whims of the transcendent being receiving the offering. It has no value as scholarship. Isn’t that right?”

“…Yes. What of it?”

“I interpreted that to mean it’s meaningless unless you improve your abilities through your own efforts.”

 

I didn’t know how Master would react. But his eyes, which had been somehow unfocused, seemed to be returning to clarity.

 

“But what is this now, Master?”

 

I placed a thread of hope in that sight.

 

“Using people’s lives, their life force as nourishment for the World Tree’s resurrection… How is that different from the offerings you called garbage!”

 

A moment of silence. Master’s eyes completely regained their focus.

 

“Foolish disciple.”

 

But the emotion in those eyes wasn’t guilt or shame, but contempt and disdain.

 

“Does this look the same to your pathetic eyes? Does depending on a transcendent being’s whims look the same as the great undertaking of becoming a transcendent being yourself?”

“…Becoming a transcendent being?”

-Oh no.

 

The Demon Lord let out a sigh as if realizing something.

 

Master clicked his tongue and continued his explanation.

 

“Do you know, disciple? There is no god in this world.”

“What do you mean…”

 

When the Goddess wielded Divine Authority and the Demon Lord, said to be her equal, actually existed, saying there was no god was hard to accept.

 

“I mean it literally. Gods exist. But there is no god in ‘this world.'”

-I thought he was just an idiot, but he knows more than I expected.

 

The Demon Lord’s voice seemed to confirm that Master’s words were correct. Even so, I still couldn’t accept it.

 

Master looked at me as if I were pathetic and said:

 

“The Goddess rules the Heavenly Realm, and the Demon Lord dominates the Demon Realm. Both are mighty transcendent beings worthy of being called gods. But why is there no such being in the Middle Realm?”

 

A shock that shattered all existing common sense struck my mind.

 

If transcendent beings called gods were the rulers of each world, then who was the ruler of the Middle Realm? The Imperial Emperor? Or the ever-revered Goddess? Or perhaps the Demon Lord who had secretly been encroaching on the world?

 

“It exists. No, it existed. In the very distant ancient times that are now forgotten, in the age of myths.”

 

The age of myths.

 

It wasn’t a phrase I heard often, but I had heard it just a little while ago. When he said the World Tree actually existed…

 

“Yes. I determined that it was the World Tree. Do you see it? Disciple. This thing that has become one with me. These countless branches that move according to my will.”

 

Watching Master gaze at his own hands as if in rapture, honestly I felt nothing but eeriness.

 

“On the day when all preparations are complete, the Middle Realm must rightfully welcome its master. Then I will…”

“Master.”

“What is it, disciple?”

“You said much life force is needed to grow those branches into the World Tree. Then.”

 

I caught my breath for a moment and glared at Master.

 

Just that alone made my soul ache as if it would shatter, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop.

 

“When all those preparations are complete. Will there be any living beings left in the Middle Realm?”

 

That’s right. It wasn’t even a well-maintained sapling, but a single branch cut long ago.

 

I felt renewed awe for Master who could perform such miracles with just that, but if it was truly as inefficient a method as the Demon Lord had pointed out…

 

“How many lives are needed to be reborn as a transcendent being comparable to a god? Is it even possible even if you sacrifice all life in the Middle Realm?”

“…”

 

Master closed his mouth.

 

That served as an answer, so I did not stop.

 

“What meaning is there in becoming a god alone in a world where everyone is dead? What meaning is there in ruling such a world?”

“What business is it of yours? Don’t you remember? What kind of treatment you were receiving before I found you.”

 

I remember. The pitch-black darkness, the small space covered in filth. Even now when I fall asleep, memories of that time come back to me.

 

“Rather, shouldn’t you wish for the world’s destruction? Wasn’t that why you begged to become my disciple?”

 

That wasn’t true. The reason I had desperately pleaded to be accepted as a disciple was absolutely not because I wished for the world’s destruction or anything like that.

 

“Master, as your disciple, I dare to speak.”

 

It was simply because I wanted to be like my Master. To me back then, a Dark Mage was another name for a Hero. Therefore.

 

“I will stop you, Master.”

 

I didn’t possess outstanding Magic Ability like my Master. Even now as I spoke these words, the contract was gripping my soul and threatening me. Telling me to stop immediately, to say it was just a joke meant to amuse Master like before. That I wouldn’t be safe otherwise.

 

But I could not tolerate Master going down the wrong path any further. To protect the Hero of my childhood.

 

This time, I resolved to become Master’s Hero, and met my Master’s twisted gaze.

 

“As one Dark Mage. No…”

 

As a Hero.

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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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