I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 80

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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 80

 

The Second Hero, Ruin Epeldor.

 

While much about his deeds remained shrouded in mystery, now that it was approaching a full year since the Demon Lord’s death, various stories were beginning to emerge.

 

That was the problem.

 

Anything related to the Hero was profitable. Indiscriminate information poured out recklessly without proper verification. Most of it turned out to be false upon investigation.

 

Even regarding his birth, it was the same. From rumors of being the Emperor’s illegitimate child, to being a descendant of a fallen kingdom, to stories of being raised by elves in childhood – there were tales so hard to believe.

 

Therefore, the truth about Ruin Epeldor remained unknown to this day.

 

Only one thing was certain.

 

He was the very person who had completed all the harsh trials and subjugated the Demon Realm.

 

That Hero was right before my eyes.

 

Why was he here?

 

There could be countless reasons. Since this was an event hosted by the Imperial Palace itself, he might have participated as someone affiliated with the Imperial Family, or it could have been curiosity about the new Hero.

 

In fact, wouldn’t anyone feel the same way?

 

If rumors spread about a new Hero being born when not even a full year had passed since defeating the Demon Lord.

 

They would be unbearably curious about what kind of person could spawn such rumors.

 

The Hero, looking at Johnny with glass-like eyes, spoke.

 

“You.”

 

With each small action, tension exploded exponentially.

 

I didn’t know what had happened. I didn’t know what conversation had taken place. Perhaps no words had been exchanged at all.

 

The Hero was undoubtedly the strongest being in the Middle Realm. Jude had directly witnessed the traces of battle he left in the Demon Realm and nearly died just from touching his residual divine power. Even though his abilities had improved significantly since then, it would make little difference before the Hero. His resistance to divine power would be meaningless.

 

Even though he was hiding his mana with deception, would the Hero really fail to see through it?

 

The Hero had even defeated the Demon Lord who had taught him that technique. If deception alone could fool the Hero, the Demon Lord wouldn’t have died.

 

Perhaps in this very place…

 

-Calm down.

 

The moment the Demon Lord’s voice was heard, the Hero’s eyes turned toward me.

 

“….”

 

Had he detected the Demon Lord’s soul? Had he overheard his whisper? Even knowing such things were impossible, I thought that if it were the Hero, it might not be impossible.

 

Internally, I continuously spewed curses at the Demon Lord. Even knowing it had no effect anymore, I struggled to squeeze his soul.

 

Just passing one trial had granted physical abilities comparable to a knight. My opponent was a monster who had experienced that more than ten times over. He would possess unimaginably brutal strength and divine authority that defied logic.

 

An eternity-like instant passed.

 

“There you are? I told you to stick with me.”

“….”

 

Until someone appeared behind the Hero and cheerfully called out while striking his back with her hand.

 

“I saw something interesting over there. A dragon, no less… Huh?”

 

The red-haired woman stopped mid-sentence and turned her gaze toward me. Her blue eyes swept over me like she was licking me clean, but the pressure felt less intense than before.

 

While trying not to pay attention to the Hero right beside her, I slowly took a deep breath without making it obvious. Only then did I realize I had forgotten to breathe for quite some time.

 

“What’s this? I was actually thinking of looking for you later anyway. Saved me the trouble?”

 

With a confident smile, the woman extended her hand.

 

“I saw you earlier. You look young, but your magic circle drawing skills are quite impressive?”

“….”

“Now that I see you up close, I’m certain. Yes, interesting. The Green Magic Tower, was it? I thought it was just a declining relic. That guy from earlier too…”

 

Who was she?

 

This woman who could attack that terrifying Hero and remain unharmed.

 

“Let’s go.”

“Hey, wait! I’m talking here! …See you next time. There will be plenty of opportunities. Let’s go!”

 

The Hero turned around as if he had lost interest, and the woman who was about to say something hastily cut herself off and followed him.

 

As the tension released, strength nearly left my legs.

 

Fortunately, I didn’t make the disgraceful display of collapsing… Though even if I had collapsed, it probably wouldn’t have drawn much attention.

 

The Hero’s appearance had been that shocking.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

After the Hero left, the scene was quickly cleared.

 

Perhaps that was just how I felt. In fleeting memories, I recalled Dahan leaving while promising to meet again, and the face of some unknown host asking for acceptance remarks.

 

If I really wanted to recall it in detail, I could… but the fatigue was too overwhelming for that.

 

Because that brief moment of facing the Hero had consumed far more mental energy than drawing magic circles.

 

According to the original plan, I was supposed to ask the Tower Master about Master, gauge his reaction, and then flee if necessary.

 

“Taking a day… to rest should be fine.”

-Coward.

 

The Demon Lord sneered.

 

While it was true I was scared, it wasn’t like I had nothing to say in my defense.

 

“It’s the Hero, you know. The worst possible opponent for a Dark Mage carrying a Demon Lord’s soul fragment in his body.”

-Didn’t I tell you? The Hero’s divinity will vanish without a trace the moment he completes his mission.

“….”

 

Come to think of it, that was right.

 

It was in the Great Forest, wasn’t it? The Elven Ancestor had failed to restore the World Tree precisely because of that.

 

-Of course, even if only an empty shell remains, there’s no possibility of you winning in your current state.

“Obviously.”

 

What was the point of mocking me? No wait, was he actually mocking me? I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes.

 

Just as drowsiness was quickly approaching, the Demon Lord belatedly added:

 

-…Though the story would be different if you could obtain even the tiniest fragment of divinity.

“Ha.”

 

What bullshit.

 

Obtain divinity? If I wanted to, I could do it right now.

 

Turning my head, I could see a tree branch right beside me, swaying and asserting its presence. It was one of the trees planted here and there as part of the Magic Tower’s reform, but this phenomenon occurred because the World Tree’s spiritual power had temporarily dwelt within it.

 

I could either uproot and devour that thing, invade the Great Forest again, or absorbing the Ice Spirit could also be one method.

 

But that was what the Demon Lord wanted. Surely he was aiming to receive a share when I absorbed divinity. He might even try to absorb all of it, not just a portion.

 

…Since it was certain that the Demon Lord had escaped the contract’s influence, unless I could interpret the magic circles that comprised Soul Magic, I had to postpone absorbing divinity as much as possible.

 

But was that really possible?

 

Even though I had spent most of my time in the Magic Tower interpreting Master’s thesis, I had read hundreds of books and accumulated knowledge in the process.

 

I hadn’t found a single clue to interpret Soul Magic. The same went for the Deception Magic I was still using continuously.

 

Considering that even the Elf King, who had accumulated knowledge for a thousand years, couldn’t interpret it… wouldn’t it be right to assume that no one on the Continent could do it? Reason was definitely concluding it was impossible.

 

But why was it?

 

My instinct whispered otherwise, that I could do it.

 

-Keke…

 

Listening to the Demon Lord’s laughter gradually fading away, I fell asleep.

 

Even so, my doubts never ceased. Was what I expected really everything…?

 

* * *

 

The next day, as soon as I opened my eyes and headed to the Tower Master’s office, I couldn’t help but be flustered.

 

“…Tower Master?”

 

No matter how many times I knocked, no matter how many times I called out, there was no response. The office remained tightly shut without the slightest movement.

 

Had he not woken up yet?

 

But the sun was already high in the sky for that to be the case. It wasn’t the time for the Tower Master, who used to habitually say that sleep decreases with age, to still be in bed.

 

-Isn’t he dead?

 

The Demon Lord said indifferently.

 

Well, the Tower Master was certainly old enough that it wouldn’t be strange if he died at any time… but still, he was the Tower Master, so if that had really happened, it couldn’t have been this quiet until now.

 

When I headed to the reception desk on the first floor, a senior mage on duty waved his hand.

 

“Oh, the pride of our Green Magic Tower. Isn’t that Jude?”

“Hello. By any chance…”

“Wait. If you have business, over there.”

 

The senior mage cut me off and pointed to one side. Looking where he pointed, I saw a device sticking out number tickets like a tongue.

 

“…Do I have to take one even though I’m part of the Magic Tower now?”

“Well, can’t be doing other things during work hours.”

“It’s just a simple matter.”

 

I sighed at his shrugging gesture and pulled out a number ticket.

 

“You be careful too. If you get caught chatting without taking this during work hours, you’ll be in big trouble.”

“Senior Shtidy didn’t take one last time though. When Senior Telon was on duty.”

“Ah, those guys… just leave them be.”

 

He was about to say something, then paused and shook his head.

 

Well, true. Since Shtidy has become the Hero’s companion, there’s no one who could say anything about such trivial matters. As for Telon… he’ll handle things on his own.

 

Nodding, he sat in front of the reception desk and asked.

 

“Do you know where the Tower Master is?”

“The Tower Master? I don’t think he came back yesterday?”

“What?”

 

The senior mage smiled cheerfully.

 

“Everyone’s been making a fuss about it. We thought he’d tell us to return them as soon as it ended, but there’s been no word yet. Since winners came out in two categories, maybe he’s in a good mood and telling us to just keep them. Of course, that’s unlikely.”

 

From the context, he must be talking about the artifacts borrowed from the treasury.

 

He pulled out a small necklace from his pocket and waved it around. Even at a glance, it was clearly no ordinary item.

 

…I thought I wouldn’t need it so I didn’t take one, but maybe I should have gotten one if I knew this would happen.

 

“Still, just studying it is quite helpful. There are types that have effects just from carrying them.”

“…You don’t know when he’ll return?”

“No idea. When has he ever told anyone about such things? Ah, you wouldn’t know, would you?”

 

The senior mage leaned forward and gestured for him to come closer.

 

As he leaned his head forward, a cup hidden behind the reception desk came into view. It contained black liquid like the dark shadows hanging beneath the senior’s eyes.

 

It seems all the mages here like that stuff. The jet-black color and burnt smell that symbolized Dark Mages appealed to him. Maybe I’ll try it sometime.

 

“In the past… he once went out saying he had something to research, and didn’t come back for nearly a year. They say after that incident, he tries to return as quickly as possible.”

“Ah, I see…”

“Is that all you needed?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

 

As he got up from his seat, the man hurriedly continued speaking. It looked as if he had been waiting for this moment.

 

“Would you visit my research room next time? I think I need to work on my magic circle a bit…”

 

After roughly nodding to the voice rambling about research, he returned to his room.

 

“He didn’t run away because he doesn’t want to grant my wish, did he?”

 

Even as he said it, he thought that couldn’t be the case. It’s just telling him about past events. Surely an Archmage wouldn’t run away for such a reason…

 

“Would he…?”

 

Come to think of it, the Tower Master doesn’t know what my wish is.

 

He couldn’t do something that would damage his dignity as Tower Master, and it didn’t seem entirely impossible that he had run away thinking I might make an unbearable request.

 

“…No way.”

 

He’ll probably return soon.

 

And a week passed.

 

The Tower Master did not return to the tower.

 

Neither did Telon.

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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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