I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 87

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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 87

 

When suddenly overwhelming danger arrives, how do people act?

 

It was a topic she had never really pondered, but Shtidy was able to find the answer to it.

 

The dragon delivered a tremendous shock upon its appearance. Even the magic circle that had protected the capital for a thousand years couldn’t completely offset the dragon’s roar. The ground shook, windows shattered, and those with weak hearts fainted, with severe cases even coughing up blood.

 

Many were injured. Just from its appearance alone. She didn’t know what its purpose was, but if it were to attack the capital, there was no telling how great a disaster it would become.

 

“Please spare us!”

“The child, the child…!”

 

People began searching for someone to rely on.

 

They hoped someone would appear to help them through a situation they couldn’t possibly overcome with their own strength.

 

Grown adults, the man next door, guards, knights…

 

“Find the Hero, find the Hero!”

“If it’s the Hero, they should be able to defeat the dragon!”

 

And, the Hero.

 

The people caught in chaos didn’t know that the Hero had already set out to face the dragon.

 

The branch of the Golden Star Trading Company that had recently established itself in the Imperial Capital. Rumors that someone destined to be the Third Hero was staying there had already spread by word of mouth.

 

Many people sought out the Golden Star Trading Company.

 

“Where’s the Hero! You’re hiding them!”

 

They broke down doors and intimidated the employees. They began throwing tantrums, demanding the Hero be brought out immediately.

 

“Found them! It’s the Hero!”

 

Johnny, who had been trying to escape from them, was caught in an unseemly manner. Someone grabbed his collar and shoved him, while someone else prostrated themselves on the floor and pleaded.

 

“Please save us. Oh, faithful sword of the Goddess.”

“Please, defeat that thing.”

 

Didn’t they know that if their opponent was a Hero, their lives could disappear the moment they harbored ill intentions?

 

Shtidy, who had also become known through the exchange meeting, thought this as she was dragged along.

 

Humans are weak.

 

Though she wasn’t specialized in combat, she could easily kill two or three people with just one simple spell.

 

Yet what were these people trusting in to act so recklessly? Was it the judgment that a Hero, being a Hero, would never harm them? Or were they so paralyzed with fear that they couldn’t even think?

 

Her thoughts couldn’t continue for long.

 

Shtidy froze solid after witnessing a battle that seemed like it would only appear in stories. Though it was only a few minutes, she thought she would probably never forget what unfolded before her eyes for the rest of her life. Even though she didn’t understand most of it.

 

That was probably what most people present were thinking.

 

Shtidy turned her head slightly to look at Johnny. He had been trembling unseemly with fear, but at some point he began muttering something with a strange expression.

 

“As expected, the Hero is…”

 

Was he thinking that he didn’t possess the qualities to become a Hero? He had already looked weak-hearted, so it was inevitable after seeing such a battle.

 

From Shtidy’s perspective, Johnny showed a strange reaction some time after that.

 

That is, from the moment when some kind of ice wall suddenly rose around the dragon.

 

She turned her head again to look at the scene outside the castle.

 

“Just what happened?”

 

The dragon, hundreds of meters long, was frozen solid. With its head thrown back as if about to breathe toward the capital.

 

Several knights who had tried to approach the frozen dragon retreated as if fleeing. It seemed they couldn’t get close beyond a certain distance.

 

Whatever it was, it was cold energy intense enough to freeze even a dragon. Wasn’t that natural? Unless it melted naturally, it might take several months or more just to investigate.

 

“Several months…”

 

Shtidy suddenly smiled.

 

Earlier she had been too flustered to make proper judgments, but wasn’t there a dragon right before her eyes?

 

She recalled the face of someone who couldn’t help himself when it came to anything dragon-related, someone who spouted the foolish notion of reviving dragons.

 

With that thing there, his dream might not be entirely impossible after all.

 

Though she didn’t have great power yet, couldn’t she at least create an opportunity for him to investigate that thing? Even if not right now, it would definitely be possible in a few months. After all, she was a Hero’s companion for now.

 

“Let’s go.”

“…What?”

“Before people come to their senses.”

 

Shtidy nudged Johnny beside her and pushed through the crowd.

 

At the last moment, she thought she made eye contact with the dragon when she looked at it once more…

 

Was it really just her imagination?

 

* * *

 

In the Imperial Capital, there was a tavern that had been built not too long ago.

 

The tavern, whose existence ordinary people didn’t even know about, remained perfectly intact as if nothing had happened despite the shock that had shaken the entire capital.

 

At some point.

 

A woman who had appeared from who knows where collapsed onto the sofa. The man spoke without even glancing at her.

 

“You’ve worked hard.”

“What can’t you say with words? I really almost died, you know?”

 

Watching the woman lying down and getting irritated, Dahan shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Isn’t it fine since you’ve returned alive and well like this?”

 

The woman tried to sit up irritably at his reaction, but collapsed with a groan.

 

“Priest, bring a priest… Where’s the Saint…?”

“Unfortunately, we don’t have a good relationship with the Religious Order.”

“I had a good relationship with them. Well, maybe not that good. But wouldn’t they come if I called?”

“That’s unlikely.”

 

The Elder, who had been watching the exchange of jokes between the woman, Kaela Rowan, interrupted.

 

“Let me ask one thing. Was this incident really necessary?”

“Well. I’m not sure if it was absolutely necessary, but it was quite important.”

 

Dahan said while pouring alcohol into his cup.

 

“No matter how much they control information, everyone who should know will find out that this person was the one who created the dragon and attacked the capital. A Hero’s companion attacking the Empire. Even with suspicions of dabbling in Dark Magic.”

“You were aiming for the collapse of trust.”

“For the Empire, which tried to secure legitimacy by accepting the Hero, this would be the most terrible thing of all.”

 

A Hero is the Goddess’s representative.

 

Thus, the Hero’s actions are no different from the Goddess’s will. It wouldn’t be wrong to say they hold authority comparable to the Saint and Pope within the Religious Order.

 

If people found out that such a Hero’s companion had done this, it could make them doubt the Goddess. In times like these when distrust toward the Religious Order is already blooming, could there be anything more fatal?

 

“What’s next?”

“A manhunt for Lady Kaela will follow. They’ll have no choice but to suspect the other companions as well. All sorts of intelligence organizations will be busy for a while. Our activities will become that much freer.”

 

To prevent the Holy Nation’s invasion of Balaih Kingdom, the Dawn Group had expended much strength. This incident would at least give them breathing room.

 

“There must be something more important than that.”

“The new Hero.”

 

Kaella, who had been lying there like she was dead, chimed in.

 

“That guy I saw before. No matter how I look at it, he doesn’t seem like Hero material. He doesn’t look like he has the ability to achieve the rumored accomplishments either.”

“Well, that’s right. Because he’s not a Hero.”

“…What?”

 

As if incredulous, Kaella tried to spring up from her seat but collapsed again with a groan.

 

Dahan burst into laughter and added:

 

“Not yet, anyway.”

 

Kaella frowned as if she couldn’t understand, but the Green Tower Master just folded his arms and was lost in thought.

 

“Do you regret it?”

 

Dahan asked while pushing a cup toward the Tower Master. The Tower Master picked up the cup, took a sip, then closed his eyes.

 

“Well. When an old man looks back on life, all that remains are regrets. I always regret many things.”

“…”

“That’s why.”

 

The Tower Master said.

 

“I don’t regret this incident.”

 

Dahan looked at him with interest.

 

“It was long ago. An outstanding disciple came to our Magic Tower. He was so exceptional that he might have been taking my place by now.”

“Oh my. That’s quite remarkable.”

“He received as much jealousy as his outstanding talent. Even amid all that, he silently produced results. So I prepared a gift.”

 

Kaella turned over as if bored. Dahan nodded without showing displeasure and urged him to continue.

 

“I chose that child as the head of research that was being coordinated with the Holy Nation.”

“What kind of research?”

 

With a smile, as if he knew everything.

 

“The Artificial Hero Project.”

 

The Green Tower Master held his forehead. It was a look filled with deep regret and fatigue.

 

“I provided whatever was needed. If he could just produce good results, it wouldn’t be impossible for our Green Magic Tower to stand as the continent’s greatest Magic Tower.”

“It didn’t go well, I suppose?”

“Among the villages that supplied test subjects, there seemed to be his hometown.”

“Oh dear.”

 

He let out a sigh as if pitying, without erasing the strange smile from his lips at all.

 

“The guy destroyed the research laboratory and fled. We lost our share in the research, and the Holy Nation, which developed it independently, finally succeeded in creating a Hero.”

 

The Tower Master holding his forehead didn’t see that sight.

 

“Of course I have regrets. If I hadn’t sent that fellow as the research director, how many achievements would we have made by now. Creating the Hero would have been our Green Magic Tower’s accomplishment too. Our tower’s disciple might have been in that child’s place.”

“Ha, what an interesting story.”

 

Kaella, who had been lying with her back turned, was suddenly in front of the Green Tower Master. With eyes full of disgust, glaring at him as if she would tear him apart.

 

But the Green Tower Master didn’t give her a glance.

 

“So I don’t regret it. My disciple’s sacrifice will help the tower’s development. Isn’t that right?”

“Of course. You’ll be the main figure in creating this Hero.”

 

The Tower Master smiled with satisfaction.

 

Dahan, who had calmed Kaella glaring at that sight and sent her back to her seat, spoke.

 

“Many things will change from now on.”

 

He lifted the cup he hadn’t been drinking from all along, wetting his lips with red wine.

 

Many things would change.

 

The excessive life force that spread throughout the world recently had expanded the limits of living beings. Just looking at the knights who faced the dragon, you could see their power had increased considerably.

 

And.

 

“This incident has greatly increased the concentration of mana.”

 

The Dragon Heart containing infinite mana had shattered. Though not much time had passed yet, the mana flowing from it had more than doubled the continent’s mana concentration.

 

Just as the knights had grown stronger, the mages would also rise in level. Even those without sufficient mana aptitude would be able to enter the path of magic, and existing mages would easily step into the next realm.

 

Humans would greatly reduce their dependence on the Goddess.

 

As a result, it would gradually become a world where the Goddess wasn’t needed. A world of humans, where crying out God’s name would be seen as foolish.

 

The Goddess would lose her power.

 

But even in such a world, precisely because it was such a world, human desires would only grow larger…

 

The demons would smile.

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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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