I Thought It Was the Monster Duke's Fake Sedative - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 20
So really, I never intended to step in like this.
‘Whether it’s Moro or not, I couldn’t tell.’
When I’d cracked open the door earlier and heard the shouting.
Even when that count—who seemed like he’d be nothing more than a passing extra—was boldly challenging Edward, Lucy was ready to grab popcorn and watch.
And Edward did indeed silence Count Moro with just a few words.
“Demon Beasts have poor eyesight, so they hate narrow tunnels where visibility is limited.”
Hearing Edward’s words, Lucy tilted her head thoughtfully.
“Hm.”
That was similar to the place where she’d lived.
The Monsters in Lucy’s world had also disliked cramped, dark spaces.
A conversation she’d once had with her sisters came flooding back.
“If they hate being underground or in narrow passages, then they probably came from somewhere close to an open plain.”
“But where did they come from? Another world beyond the Gate?”
“I don’t know where, but it would be nice if we could send them back there.”
“If there was some kind of device that could transport those things… how much better that would be.”
But thinking back on it now, it was a bitter conversation—because it was her sisters who ended up being sent outside instead.
‘Anyway.’
For that reason, people built Shelters as deep underground as possible.
Unfortunately, the Shelter where Lucy had been was not built specifically to deal with Monsters—it was a Shelter hastily constructed by repurposing the school in the early days of the catastrophe.
And that’s why it all happened.
‘…So Demon Beasts and Monsters do have things in common.’
I wonder if there are more similar habits or commonalities?
If so, it might actually be useful.
Since I spent all that time in the Shelter desperately studying to deal with Monsters.
Still, with Edward here, it would only hold him back if I intervened.
……
Lucy watched Edward across from her in silence—a man beating facts into a count while his expression never wavered.
A protagonist with a rotten personality equally distributed to everyone never lost no matter where he went.
‘Maybe I should just go back inside and sit quietly.’
Nothing bad could possibly happen with the world’s strongest man here—I came out worrying for nothing, she thought.
So she was about to turn back inside.
“This is your fault!”
“If only you’d caught the Demon Beast sooner!”
People crowded around, and one of them started pointing an accusatory finger at Edward.
…It was the woman who yesterday, more passionately than anyone, had been shouting her love for the Duke.
For a moment, her mind went blank.
“What? The Scout Team that went out to gather supplies is completely wiped out?”
“What exactly are the Self-Defense Force doing?”
Every time the people in the Shelter faced shortages, they’d conscript those with nowhere else to go into Scout Teams and send them out—but whenever a Scout Team was annihilated, they’d tsk and blame the Self-Defense Force.
“As if you deserve ration priority when you’re supposed to protect us from Monsters! Incompetent fools!”
“This is all because the Self-Defense Force didn’t help the Scout Team in time!”
The old anger came back—the anger she’d felt every time she heard such words.
She’d hated those people who hid safely in the Shelter while cursing the Self-Defense Force out there fighting Monsters.
‘My sisters went out there to protect even people like you.’
They weren’t anything special—not awakened ones or superhumans or anything like that.
Because such things didn’t exist in that world.
Her sisters, conscripted only because their physical abilities were slightly better than others, only because they were athletic students.
Every time they heard such things—sisters whose life or death remained unknown—that rage she’d swallowed came roaring back.
That’s why.
“…You left it to them?!”
She burst out with words she’d always wanted to say but held back in her past life.
“…What?”
She felt the startled people turning to her with bewildered expressions.
Even Edward himself was looking at her with that ‘what is this?’ expression.
‘Great, now I’m making it awkward for the person trying to help.’
Well, he hadn’t asked for help anyway.
Having impulsively burst out, Lucy felt a twinge of regret.
‘Wish I had the eloquence to pressure them with words the way he does with those nobles.’
But Edward, regardless of what anyone said, kept his mouth shut with composure.
When you think about it, was it the stern education from the previous Duke that made Edward less arrogant toward commoners?
‘It must be that teaching—that heroes must never attack civilians.’
It was the moment Lucy let out a sigh.
Moro, the first to recover his wits, barked sharply.
“Who do you think you are, daring to insert yourself into this matter!”
“But those commoners over there inserted themselves too, didn’t they?”
“What?!”
At her bold reply, Moro’s face crumpled.
“Anyway, you really are most excellent and virtuous, Lord Moro.”
“Hmm? It’s Moro, not Molla….”
“In any case, the more I hear, the more impressive you seem, my lord.”
Lucy smiled smoothly and clasped her hands together.
Her manner had shifted entirely from moments before when she’d been challenging him about the shelter assignment, but the flattery came so glib and natural that no one noticed anything amiss.
The Count himself flinched and fell silent.
Lucy wetted her lips and pressed on.
“After all, you haven’t had much experience with Demon Beasts—how did you arrive at such a decision?”
“Uh…?”
“Honestly, even I would have thought the Academy was the better shelter. It’s only natural, isn’t it?”
Lucy shrugged and addressed the gathered crowd reproachfully.
“Wanting to provide a comfortable place for your people—that’s nothing but a lord’s natural kindness. No one could have predicted it would collapse.”
…….
“You truly have a noble heart, my lord.”
At those words, Moro’s expression grew strange.
In truth, what this small woman said seemed correct.
‘That’s right. I made a sound decision.’
How could he have known Demon Beasts possessed such tendencies!
“You made a genuinely serious choice, yet no one appreciates your concern for your subjects.”
“Mm!”
“I’d be frustrated in your place. So noble and responsible, Lord Moro.”
“Ahem! Ahem!”
“Which is why you chose the Academy as the shelter, naturally?”
“Indeed. The Academy is a shelter I designated personally. I did it solely for the convenience and safety of my people….”
Moro nodded in agreement.
“You designated it yourself?! Even though the Duke specifically told you to evacuate everyone to the Silver Mine?”
“What?”
The moment the Count acknowledged designating the shelter, the conversation abruptly shifted to an attack.
“The Duke specifically, explicitly told you to evacuate to the Silver Mine.”
“W-well, he didn’t exactly explain…!”
“Surely you jest! The Duke—a hero and a Demon Beast expert—would never do otherwise!”
……!
The Count, having received no such explanation, felt wronged, but Lucy continued with words that might have been flattery or mockery—impossible to tell.
“Deciding on a shelter all by yourself, when you don’t even understand Demon Beasts well. How remarkable.”
“Now, now!”
“So headstrong, yet so clever.”
It was certainly praise, yet….
At her words, the eyes of the mourning crowd gleamed as they turned toward the Count.
“What? Our shelter wasn’t supposed to be that place?”
“Then what about our son….”
Yet even as they gnashed their teeth, none dared to press the Count directly.
A stark contrast to how they’d treated Edward.
A few among them hung their heads in shame at their own cowardice, but that was all.
Indifferent to their struggle, Lucy began wiping Edward’s Armor with her sleeve.
“My, and our Duke—what if he’s bathed in Demon Beast blood?”
…….
“It’s not as though the law requires him to do all this.”
‘The law doesn’t require it?’
‘We’ve always assumed the Avatar’s protection is a given….’
At her words, the crowd grew bewildered.
“The Dragons never swore to stay and guard us until the end.”
At Lucy’s words, several nobles stirred and fell into thought.
‘Now that I think about it.’
‘I never actually made such a promise, did I…?’
The dragons who remained reluctant, forced to stay by the humans, had never truly sworn to anything.
They had simply taken human form and remained here, leaving behind descendants.
And beyond that, dragon incarnations had continued to be born among those descendants.
‘Then…?’
Could it be that if things went wrong, he could simply abandon it all and flee to the Demon Realm?
Edward’s pupils dilated in a sudden moment of realization, his gaze snapping toward him.
The small woman fluttered about frenetically, wringing her hands.
“Still, I’m truly grateful, Duke!”
“…….”
“No one asked you to! No one entrusted you with this! And yet, every time, you hunt down Demon Beasts for us!”
Those who heard her words suddenly realized they had offered praise but never genuine thanks, and shock rippled through the crowd.
“Y-yes! Thank you! Duke! We truly thank you!”
“If not for you, the damage would have been far worse!”
But the woman cut off the tide of praise before it could gather momentum.
“You must be exhausted, yes? Shall we go inside and let you rest?”
Soon the small woman was slapping at the duke’s armor with rapid, decisive pats, pushing him toward the entrance.
She pushed with all her strength, though anyone could see the duke was not giving way easily.
“…….”
The duke turned in silence and disappeared into the Inn, leaving the people’s accolades behind.
Creak, thud.
‘I thought I’d die of fear.’
The moment the Inn door closed behind Edward as he entered.
Lucy, who had been wound tight as a spring all along, let out the breath she’d been holding.
‘For something I threw myself into without a plan, it turned out better than expected….’
“You.”
And then the cold metal of armor touched her neck, and she swallowed a hiccup.

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