I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 69

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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 69

 

The interview with the Green Tower Master went without major issues, contrary to his worries.

 

“So, your age is… still fifteen? You’re younger than you look. Would you like some candy?”

 

The chair was soft, and the Tower Master who spoke with a kind smile seemed more like a neighborhood grandfather than one of the continent’s greatest Archmages.

 

“Life in the Magic Tower might be a bit different from what you expected. Will that be alright?”

“I’ll take good care of him.”

“What’s this, you’ve already claimed him? I understand your feelings, but this child should have a chance to choose too.”

 

While he seemed quite considerate, his mischievous jokes quickly melted away Jude’s remaining tension.

 

“But magic research involves quite a lot of tiring work. During growth periods, you need plenty of sleep… No, I don’t need to worry about that. Your height seems to have grown enough already. Shtard here will take good care of you. I don’t need to worry, right?”

“It’s Shtidy.”

“Right, Study.”

 

Listening to their exchange made him laugh involuntarily.

 

He unwrapped the candy offered again and put it in his mouth. The sweet taste quickly melted on his tongue.

 

He belatedly wondered if it was okay to just accept such things, but he felt reassured thinking that the Demon Lord would have warned him in advance if it contained anything dangerous.

 

“Do you like the room you were assigned? You can move to a different room if you want. As you might expect, we have plenty of vacant rooms.”

“The room was fine.”

 

He didn’t know who had used it before, but he didn’t see any major problems.

 

Actually, even if there were problems, it wouldn’t matter much. The room Jude had used the longest was in a corner of Sevian’s Dungeon, and it would be hard for anything to be worse than that.

 

“Is that so? The hot water problem will be resolved soon. Probably… within this month. We just had some issues with short-term financing.”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. I can wash well with cold water too…”

“That won’t do. It’s winter now. It would be terrible if you caught a cold, wouldn’t it? When it’s urgent, ask Shtein. Heating water isn’t difficult magic.”

“I said it’s Shtidy.”

 

The self-proclaimed senior mage, Shtidy, sighed as if accustomed to this and spoke.

 

“Feel free to call me when you need anything. It’s not the adjacent room… but it’s still nearby. When I’m not in my room, I’ll be in the research room or lobby. I’ll tell you the research room location later.”

“Thank you…?”

 

Perhaps because he was in front of the Tower Master, he looked much more tired than when he was introducing the tower earlier. Seeing such Shtidy, the Tower Master burst into hearty laughter and handed over a piece of paper.

 

“Well then, read this once.”

“This is…?”

“It’s an oath document. Stella gave you guidance…”

“She did.”

“Right. She did, but as a mage belonging to our Magic Tower, it’s like a pledge to do your best for the development of the tower and magic.”

 

The content wasn’t much different from what the Tower Master had explained.

 

Things like not deliberately damaging the Magic Tower’s facilities, working diligently on assigned research even if he didn’t like it, respecting the Tower Master and other mages, and not disregarding others’ research.

 

Looking at how Shtidy treated the Tower Master, it didn’t seem like these were particularly mandatory requirements, so he was about to simply complete the oath when…

 

“This is…?”

“Ah, that’s something we added recently.”

 

At the very bottom of the oath document, he saw a quite jarring clause.

 

‘Should the oath-taker attempt to transfer affiliation to the Red Magic Tower or Blue Tower, all magical achievements of the oath-taker shall belong to this tower, and their body shall be automatically donated as research material for the tower…?’

 

Though he spoke as if it were no big deal, the viciousness of that content was not something that could be casually overlooked. Since it wasn’t a soul contract, breaking it wouldn’t have tremendous binding force, but…

 

It was a sentence filled with malice to destroy the other party somehow.

 

“Hmm? What’s wrong? Do you perhaps have thoughts of transferring to another Magic Tower later?”

“…No.”

 

Under the tremendous pressure hidden within that kind smile, Jude quickly answered and finished signing.

 

The pressure disappeared instantly, and after chatting for a few more minutes, they left the office.

 

“He seems to be in a good mood today.”

“Does he?”

 

Shtidy, who had been looking at the closed office door for a moment, turned around and spoke.

 

“I guess it’s because you joined the tower. Recently, he’s been continuously gloomy. It was really the worst after he came back from the academy a while ago. I don’t know what he was doing in the office, but the tower kept vibrating and it was complete chaos.”

 

It was an explanation that didn’t quite match the kind old man he had just seen, but considering the pressure he had briefly felt and the Tower Master’s position, it seemed quite possible.

 

“Anyway, let’s get along well from today. Shall we start with touring my research room?”

 

It was when he was being dragged down a few steps by Shtidy.

 

“You there.”

 

The office door opened again, and a gentle voice was heard.

 

“Let’s have a private chat for a moment.”

 

Jude squeezed his eyes shut.

 

* * *

 

A short while later. Jude and Melissa were sitting face to face on chairs placed in front of the shop.

 

“Haah…”

 

Melissa, holding the mysterious black liquid in her hand, let out a deep sigh.

 

Do all the people in this Magic Tower drink that stuff? Even while pondering this, Jude tensed his body in preparation for a possible combat situation.

 

She was the one who had stayed far away and kept her mouth shut during the long interview with the Tower Master. What reason could she have for calling him out separately to talk now?

 

“What should I call this? The Tower Master, that old geezer has gotten quite cocky. Saying that an applicant came just one day after the reform, going on about artistic vision and whatnot. But to think it was you.”

 

Melissa grumbled and sighed again, then looked at Jude and let out a hollow laugh.

 

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of attacking you or revealing your identity. Not for now, anyway.”

“…Why?”

 

For Jude, this was an incomprehensible statement.

 

Even though the other party had attacked first, Jude had killed a member of the Dawn Order.

 

He didn’t know what position that man held within the organization, but if he knew enough information about Jude, he probably wasn’t in a very low position. It was natural for Jude to think that Melissa, being from the same organization, would be hostile.

 

However, he couldn’t help but believe her.

 

If she had said even one word during the interview with the Tower Master, Jude would have had to face the Tower Master. Whatever her intention, her words about having no plans “for now” must be true.

 

“I owed you quite a bit last time, didn’t I? And I’m now an outsider to the Green Magic Tower too.”

“That aside, I had a conflict with one of your organization members.”

 

In the end, Jude decided to test her. If she didn’t know about that incident yet, her attitude could change at any time.

 

However, Melissa’s reaction was unexpected again this time.

 

“About that guy… Well.”

 

Melissa made a displeased expression as if she had heard something she didn’t want to remember, and trailed off her words.

 

Her action of touching her forehead and tapping her fingers represented her complicated feelings.

 

“The larger an organization becomes, the more opinions tend to diverge internally. It was the same when we tried to recruit you. Just think of it that way for now.”

 

It wasn’t an easy story to understand.

 

Did that mean there was a difference of opinion between that man and Melissa? Perhaps he had opposed Jude’s recruitment offer from the beginning.

 

‘But the one who doesn’t discriminate means for the sake of purpose is actually closer to that man’s disposition.’

 

There weren’t enough clues to make a judgment. But Melissa seemed unwilling to talk more about the matter.

 

Melissa, who took a sip of the black liquid, asked.

 

“You said you were fifteen, right?”

“Yes.”

“I think it’s youthful recklessness, but you’d better give up on investigating your Master.”

“…?”

 

At the sudden topic, Jude blinked.

 

‘Come to think of it, this person knew about the relationship between Master and me.’

 

It was natural since they had fought together in Andril. Master this, disciple that. They had shouted a lot during the urgent situation.

 

Could it be that Melissa thought Jude had entered the Green Magic Tower to find traces of his Master?

 

-Good. Let her stay mistaken.

 

While it was true that he had some strange sentiments about the Magic Tower his Master had belonged to, Jude had no other particular intentions, so this was quite bewildering for him.

 

But he decided to accept the Demon Lord’s advice.

 

Although he didn’t like the other party pitying him, he realized that his safety was being guaranteed because of it.

 

“Do you know something?”

“I can’t tell you. Sevian, that child wouldn’t want it either.”

 

Calling Master a child.

 

Just how old was she? From her face alone, she looked only about four or five years older than Jude, so it was hard to get used to her speaking like that.

 

‘She probably won’t answer even if I ask about Master…’

 

Finally giving up on that thought, Jude asked about something he was curious about.

 

“About Johnny. The one from Belive Territory.”

“You mean our new Hero? Hmm… I guess it’s okay to tell you. You can’t say you’re unrelated either.”

 

A voice that sounded displeased. Was it directed at Jude, or at someone else?

 

“So, what are you curious about?”

“Is it the Johnny I know?”

“I don’t know if it’s the Johnny you know, but it’s Johnny from Belive Territory. Former Guard Unit.”

 

Jude, who had briefly belonged to the Guard Unit, knew. Although Johnny was a common name, there was only one person named Johnny in the Belive Territory Guard Unit.

 

There was a possibility that a new Johnny had joined the Guard Unit while he was away from the territory, but at this point, it would be better to assume that the Johnny in the rumors was the same Johnny he knew.

 

 

“They say it’s something planned by the Organization’s Patron… Well. How are they planning to handle the aftermath? I really don’t know what they’re thinking.”

“…Is Johnny doing well?”

“He must be doing well. Whatever anyone says, he’s the Next Hero. He’s probably too dazed by the exceptional treatment he’s never received in his life to think straight, don’t you think?”

 

Should that be considered fortunate?

 

Thinking of Johnny enjoying happiness beyond what he deserved, Jude frowned with displeasure. Melissa burst into laughter seeing Jude like that.

 

“I’m planning to stay here for a while, so let’s see each other often.”

 

After Melissa left, Shtidy, who had been secretly watching them from afar, quickly approached.

 

“Are you okay? That person didn’t bother you or anything, did she?”

“Huh? Yes, well.”

 

Seeing Jude answer with a bewildered expression, Shtidy sighed and muttered while looking at Melissa’s retreating figure.

 

“To encounter something like that on your first day.”

“Is that person famous?”

“Famous indeed. She had already left the Tower when I entered. Witch Melissa. The current Tower Master’s daughter and a former Elder.”

 

The Tower Master’s daughter and a former Elder.

 

No matter how outstanding Melissa’s magical talent might be, these were all words that didn’t easily match with her appearance.

 

“She’s so vicious that there’s even a saying that if she’s assigned as your Thesis Supervisor, you should give up on your thesis for that year.”

“…Is she that bad?”

“It’s no joke. I heard there was even someone who turned to Dark Magic from the shock of having their ten-year thesis rejected…!”

 

No way.

 

‘The warning not to think about investigating Master… it wasn’t for that reason, was it…?’

 

Jude seriously pondered this.

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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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