I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 73

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 73

 

Master and Hero.

 

Perhaps they were words that didn’t match at all. Not just because Master was a Dark Mage.

 

Not long after I started living in Master’s Dungeon. When I went to the city on an errand, I heard tales of the First Hero’s heroic deeds on the street.

 

The Demons threatening the world now would also be defeated by a new Hero who would appear. They would save the world. That’s what the street performers sang about.

 

It hadn’t been long since Master saved me, so it was natural that I thought of Master’s face when I heard those words.

 

To me at that time, Hero, Dark Mage, and Master were synonymous.

 

When I returned to the dungeon, I told Master about the story I had heard. I remember how his expression immediately twisted.

 

‘Foolish talk.’

 

That’s what Master said.

Heroes weren’t as great or cool as I thought they were.

 

After that, Master ordered me never to bring up stories about Heroes again. Of course, just hearing such stories couldn’t extinguish the flame that had taken root in my heart at the time.

 

Only after Master left the dungeon following the Demon Lord’s summons did I learn that Master was also included among the fairy tale villains that Heroes defeat.

 

That’s why I couldn’t help but be flustered when I saw Master’s thesis.

 

The person who didn’t even want to speak about Heroes was conducting research titled [Clarification of the ‘Hero’ Phenomenon through Mythology and Legend and Its Reproducibility]. From that title alone, it seemed he had reached some understanding of the essence of Heroes.

 

-What do you think Heroes are to humans?

 

The Demon Lord’s question came quite unexpectedly to me.

 

“The Goddess’s representative and the world’s savior.”

 

To children, and even to some adults, Heroes were dream-like beings.

 

-No. They’re power and symbols.

 

But the Demon Lord said with a sneer.

 

-Things that Rulers can never give up.

“Rulers?”

 

Why was such talk suddenly coming up? When Jude muttered in a questioning voice, the Demon Lord slowly began to explain.

 

-After defeating me, the First Hero established an Empire on the ruined continent. No one dared oppose someone who had won against the Demon Lord who tried to destroy the entire continent. Under absolute power, the Empire enjoyed a golden age. Victory, peace, Empire. It wouldn’t be strange to see him as a figure symbolizing humanity and the entire continent.

 

Like an old man telling stories to a child, his voice was gentle and calm even while speaking of his own defeat.

 

-A thousand years have passed since then. No, since he lived about one hundred twenty years, nine hundred years have passed. That’s a long time for you humans.

 

But that voice gradually changed. Mockery settled into the warm tone. Undisguisable hatred flowed out.

 

-The Hero’s Descendants had considerable talent, but they were never Heroes. Even that bloodline grew thinner with each generation…

 

Power wavers, and it’s natural to covet absolute strength.

 

It made perfect sense that Mages would study Heroes. In fact, I would have thought it natural even without the Demon Lord’s explanation. More than the Dragon that Telon wanted to create, Heroes were important ‘symbols’ in people’s hearts.

 

But why. The Master I knew didn’t seem like someone who would be interested in Heroes at all.

 

-Well, isn’t this content you could easily guess?

 

The hatred that had flowed out moments before felt like an illusion. Only the usual light mockery remained in the Demon Lord’s tone.

 

-Your Master seemed to be quite ostracized. Discriminated against in various ways, his achievements unrecognized. He would have needed a research topic that could secure reliable investment.

“Reliable investment…”

 

Telon’s research to resurrect Dragons in the mortal world had earned Shtidy’s ridicule. Research on Heroes probably wouldn’t be much different.

 

Surely they would have spared no massive investment at first, but who would keep pouring money into fruitless research? Even before Master started his research, many others would have already disappointed the investors.

 

But, yes.

 

The Master I knew wasn’t someone who would waste time on impossible tasks. Whether others recognized it or not, he was someone who somehow produced results.

 

For Master, was this research a means? Or was it an end?

 

-It seems he progressed quite deeply in research on mythology and legends. Well, otherwise, he couldn’t have recognized a sealed World Tree Branch at a glance.

 

The Demon Lord’s evaluation after examining Master’s thesis title was different from usual.

 

It was a rare generous evaluation from the Demon Lord who always looked down on humans. I’d have to examine the details to know for sure, but if he spoke like that, Master’s research must have progressed beyond expectations.

 

Suddenly, I remembered Melissa’s words telling me not to investigate Master’s research.

 

“….”

 

Just how far did this research reach?

 

Until just now, Master’s research hadn’t been that important an issue to me. Even now, my head is so confused I can’t tell what’s what.

 

I took Master’s theses from the bookshelf and tucked them into my arms.

 

One thing was certain: I absolutely couldn’t do as Melissa had asked.

 

* * *

 

On a drowsy afternoon, Shtidy hummed a tune.

 

The empty research room was gradually being filled with items one by one. What he had purchased with wages that were difficult to fully express as inadequate was, naturally, not everything. While he had invested his own money in a few items, most were bought with the Magic Tower’s support funds that had been cut off until recently.

 

“Wow… Amazing, truly amazing.”

 

As expected, a Tower Master is indeed a Tower Master.

 

Only a few days had passed since the witch said she was going to make money. Yet the living conditions of the Green Magic Tower had improved incomparably compared to before.

 

Of course, it wasn’t comparable to the past that Shtidy remembered.

 

While it was true that the Green Magic Tower had collapsed rapidly recently, there had been signs even before that. It was the same when Shtidy entered the tower. Even his peers tried to dissuade him, asking why he was applying to the Green Magic Tower.

 

“I must have been crazy.”

 

There was a thesis that had planted the childhood dream of becoming a great mage and changing the world when he attended the Academy.

 

After reading that thesis, Shtidy couldn’t feel attracted to the Red and Blue Magic Towers that only researched magic useful for combat. For some reason, he couldn’t find any other papers by that author, but he could confirm that the thesis had been published by the Green Magic Tower.

 

Back then, he thought the Green Magic Tower was a cool place… That’s what his young heart believed.

 

The Green Magic Tower he experienced directly after graduation wasn’t much different from what he had imagined. It was certainly a wonderful place. Each Tower Member had pride and affection for their own research.

 

That was probably why. Why many people had moved to other Magic Towers.

 

Because they thought they could no longer continue their research here.

 

“What would those who left back then think if they saw the current tower? Something like ‘If the Tower Master had stepped in directly, it would have been solved quickly, so why now…?'”

“Who knows.”

 

Shtidy’s gaze, who hadn’t expected an answer, turned toward where the voice came from.

 

“They probably wouldn’t care much. They’d be too busy with their own research. Still, the Tower Master must have had reasons for not moving until now.”

 

Telon smiled cynically. Since he had entered the Green Magic Tower several years earlier than Shtidy, his thoughts were probably correct.

 

“Reasons, huh.”

“Well. But even for the Tower Master, how did she manage to get investment in such a short time? Did she visit the manors of the nobles who had cut off their sponsorship?”

 

Shtidy burst into laughter as he imagined the Tower Master turning elegant manors into chaos with magic while shouting to hand over money.

 

“But what brings you to my research room, Senior?”

“Let’s have a cup of coffee. To celebrate the research funds coming in.”

“Eh…”

 

Seeing Shtidy’s face contort with full force, Telon burst into loud laughter and waved his hand.

 

“I’m joking, joking. Don’t look so serious, it hurts my feelings too. I just came to find our newcomer.”

“Jude? Why him?”

“Because you’ve been dragging him around all the time. I was wondering if you might be influencing him strangely.”

 

Strange influence? Shtidy felt annoyed but couldn’t find anything to refute, so he pouted.

 

“Since he’s getting individual research support anyway, there’s no reason to look for him, right? I don’t think he’d refuse individual research to go to your research room, Senior.”

 

This was why Shtidy, who had volunteered to guide him without being asked, was currently leaving Jude alone.

 

He had already guided him through everything that needed guiding, and since Jude was mostly buried in the library, it was awkward to bother him. Most importantly, even he himself would obviously choose individual research.

 

If there were areas where help was needed, he would of course help, but there was no reason to stick by his side like before.

 

‘Wait, but why is he looking for him here?’

 

Telon’s voice, naturally sitting down in the chair, cut off Shtidy’s question.

 

“Individual research support sounds nice, but… it’s actually ridiculous to start with individual research from the beginning, isn’t it?”

“That’s true.”

 

It wasn’t simply a matter of hierarchy or procedure.

 

Even those who had completed thorough education at the Academy struggled with their first research. Magic research always faced countless variables, and it could be dangerous if not handled skillfully.

 

Having an adaptation period and then working as an assistant in another Senior Mage’s research room was to learn such things. If lucky, having one’s name written at the end of a thesis could be recognized as an achievement.

 

It was a hundred times better than ruining one’s career by starting research carelessly.

 

Of course, Senior Mages also wouldn’t mind having labor to handle various errands… for example, meal delivery or washing underwear.

 

In other words, it was something that made everyone happy. Customs and procedures exist for good reasons.

 

“As long as you don’t get stuck with someone who works you too hard like certain people.”

“Hey, don’t look at me like that. Honestly, you learned a lot from me too, didn’t you?”

“You were certainly a good negative example.”

 

Despite saying that, Telon had actually taken care of him in many ways. The only problem was that he had worked him terribly hard to the point of not wanting to associate with him, but Telon was quite a capable mage and senior.

 

“Ah, I wish the newcomer would join my research.”

“Don’t say impossible things. You said he hasn’t even visited your research room yet?”

“Still… He promised to definitely come next time!”

 

Telon collapsed helplessly onto the desk. Shtidy, who had frowned worrying that his newly bought desk might get dirty, sighed.

 

“Let’s go look for him together.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Whatever happens, once the adaptation period ends, he’ll be too busy to breathe for a while. I’ll suggest we go to the capital once. From what I heard, he’s never been there even once.”

“Oh, now you’re acting like a proper senior?”

 

At Telon’s admiring voice, Shtidy averted his gaze. He was just remembering when Telon had taken him to the capital right after he entered the tower.

 

“Stop making noise. You’re coming with me, right? We’ll need to buy things like underwear too.”

“Yes, Senior.”

“Ah, seriously!”

 

Shtidy headed underground in irritation. Behind her, Telon followed with light steps.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————