Chapter 304
Chapter: 304
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 304
>Chapter Title: Demon King No. 2 (2)
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>"A massive fire once broke out in Rohan. With most buildings made of wood and a long drought on top of that, the damage was said to be beyond control."
Seongjin had heard about it from Dasha as well. An entire noble's territory had burned down.
Rohan's grand duke at the time had accused Owen of arson.
"Owen happened to be out near the edge of the territory at the time and luckily escaped the flames. But he lost both his parents in the fire. Even after settling into the palace, he struggled to sleep properly."
Owen hadn't outright called him his father, but neither the Holy Emperor nor Seongjin paid it any mind.
"...He's having nightmares from back then."
The reason was easy to guess. Before logging out, Owen had definitely said as much to Seongjin.
-Ah, I hate this. At this rate, my dreams are definitely going to be rough.
He'd wondered why a grown man was suddenly whining like that, but it seemed the guy had his own desperate reasons.
"Yes. Reliving the night he lost his parents every night must have been excruciating. So that's why the boy sent me such a gift."
With that, the Holy Emperor turned his head to gaze at the desk for a moment.
Following his eyes, there lay a white rabbit eyemask, neatly placed. The limited-edition eyemask with S+ mental attack resistance, just like the one Sisle had shown him before.
It cost a whopping 3,999,000 P-cash in the marketplace.
"Sisle said it chases away nightmares. But why send it to Father...?"
When Seongjin asked, puzzled, the Holy Emperor slowly shook his head.
"There's one reason I can think of. I once mentioned it to him offhand."
Busy with affairs day and night, the Holy Emperor would sometimes spend time with Owen, pouring holy power into him when the boy couldn't sleep.
-Y-Your... Father, you're not sleeping at this hour either?
To the boy who was still awkward and hesitant, the Holy Emperor had apparently replied casually.
-I have holy power, so I don't really need sleep. Dreams are a mess anyway, so better to finish some work in that time.
Seongjin, listening, was dumbfounded.
"...Just for that?"
"Yes. Owen has a rather sensitive side."
Come to think of it, Sisle had said something similar before.
-Owen oppa might seem carefree, but he's actually very thoughtful and kind. I once mentioned having nightmares, and years later, he remembered and sent me this.
Since nightmares tormented him the most, he couldn't brush off even casual mentions from others.
Yet he'd scrimped and saved cash to buy two of these expensive items and sent them away, while still suffering from nightmares himself? He hadn't gotten one for himself yet?
"Why not use one first..."
But Seongjin realized the reason as he spoke. On the day they first met in Pangea Chronicle, Owen had said it to him with a serious face.
-Now, they're all I have left in this world. I can't lose the people I care about twice, not like that. To prevent it, I'll do anything.
Naturally, he was prioritizing the Holy Emperor's family over his own safety.
'And on top of that, he blew the shortfall on dumb animal skins for me.'
The guy was a fool of a fox from one to ten, picking only the idiotic choices.
* * *
After that, Seongjin spent quite a while in the office. By the time their conversation fully wrapped up, dawn was breaking brightly outside the window.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
As Seongjin left the office, he heard the Holy Emperor mutter worriedly.
"......?"
Puzzled for a moment, Seongjin soon shrugged it off. This guy spouting cryptic nonsense wasn't a one- or two-time thing.
Anyway, it was a refreshing morning for once. Guided by Raphael out of the office, Seongjin thought cheerfully.
'Thanks to Father, my condition's top-notch. Maybe I should dive into sword training for the first time in a while?'
Masain had said he'd master the Banahas 8 Forms soon. Seongjin, who once only knew how to punch, had now joined the ranks of proper aura cultivation experts.
Lost in such thoughts, Seongjin only sensed a familiar presence upon reaching the main palace entrance.
"...Masain?"
"Your Highness."
Masain, spotting Seongjin at the same time, stepped forward and bowed.
'No way. This guy should be warming up at the Pearl Palace training grounds by now. Why's he suddenly here at the main palace?'
But as Seongjin hurried toward him, he froze in surprise. In Masain's hand was the walnut cracker he'd left in his room, plain as day.
No wonder—it was obvious Masain had chased someone here early in the morning.
"Hmm......"
As Seongjin sneaked a glance at him, the knight approached with a stoic expression and politely offered the sword.
"Your Highness. No matter how busy, you can't forget important gear."
"Th-thanks, Masain."
Seongjin took the sword and strapped it to his waist. Masain turned and continued.
"I apologize for taking your sword without permission. But I figured you'd head straight to morning training, so I prepared it. Shall I escort you to the grounds?"
"Y-yeah, sure?"
Feeling an odd guilt, Seongjin meekly followed him, thinking.
Isn't this guy getting way too used to my random antics? Is this okay?
[You think it's okay, you walking disaster? Look at how much older that face looks compared to before!]
...Shut up!
* * *
"You're speaking of Prince Owen's nightmares..."
On the way back to the Pearl Palace, Seongjin learned even more details about Owen from Masain.
"The Prince has been like that since he first came to the palace. He could never sleep peacefully."
Masain was of imperial blood but now just a knight. He had every reason to dismiss Owen, yet he never forgot the honorific—that was just like him.
"I remember him waking up screaming almost every night. The other princes and princesses were terribly worried."
The Holy Emperor's children had made many efforts for Owen.
Amelia, with her vast knowledge, would bring sleep herbs and incense every time.
Logan, living with him in the Blue Rose Palace, brewed lullaby tea for him every evening without fail.
Sisle, who adored Owen, visited him every morning to channel holy power with her tiny hands.
Owen began to stabilize only after nearly a year in the palace. Or rather, it was more like one mental issue gave way to another.
-I had a really weird dream last night. I was hunting hard in some unknown place. But it was bizarre—kill game, and money pops out of thin air.
After a quiet night for once, Owen pointed at the air and continued.
-The letters I saw in the dream are still visible? You guys can't see them?
Was the stress from nightmares driving him mad at last?
Everyone worried, but surprisingly, from then on, Owen brightened noticeably. With the nightmares' gloom gone, his innate cheerfulness surfaced.
Aside from occasional spats with Mores, the palace enjoyed peaceful days for a while.
Just when they thought everything was resolved—
"...He suddenly left for the southern front, saying he'd get stronger."
Masain nodded at Seongjin's words.
"Yes, exactly. And he really did become very strong."
From then on, Owen performed brilliantly, like a man possessed.
Slaughtering sea beasts to stabilize the front, rescuing isolated missionary knights, and so on—racking up merits. Before long, he was at the forefront, cutting down enemies.
A boy not even in his twenties had single-handedly turned the tide of the crumbling southern front!
"He fulfilled the 'duty of the noble' splendidly. As a member of the Holy Emperor's family, he's without flaw. Some reckless fools try to downplay his achievements, but that's purely..."
That was when Masain spoke up to there.
Woof woof!
From afar in the training grounds, Max spotted Seongjin, wagging his tail furiously as he charged over.
He was disrupting the training knights, treating it like his daily morning game.
"Max!"
Seongjin barely kept his balance as the dog barreled into him, hugging him tight.
"You punk. Why're you bothering the knights? Didn't the captain play with you enough?"
From a distance, Bruno the captain raised his empty hands with a wronged look. His message was clear.
'I want to, but there are no plates left.'
Seems the mutt had stolen all the new ones in the meantime.
[Aren't you all expecting too much from that dumb mutt?]
The Demon King sneered.
Really? Isn't it about time he masters basic fetch? Makes me doubt if dogs aren't just dumb after all.
"Max, you rascal! Where'd you hide all the plates? Huh?"
Scolded by Seongjin, Max tilted his head innocently.
Kkiing?
'...Hmm, but knowing he's cute means he's kinda smart.'
In the end, Seongjin gave up on the plates and gently scratched his ears.
"Fine, fine. So what if he's a bit dumb? He's this cute."
Just then, he caught a glimpse of Knight Haven shouting commands from the side of the grounds.
Of course, Seongjin didn't care much. It was Haven, so probably another big screw-up.
[I think I know what screw-up. You?]
'Really? No clue here.'
[...Yi Seongjin. You're getting way too good at playing dumb.]
'Shut it!'
Playing dumb my ass! Don't frame me first thing in the morning, you Demon King bastard!
* * *
Clatter, clatter.
Owen's nightmares always began on a shaking cart.
It was an ordinary day, much like any other. The day he went with his hunter parents to town to sell hides regularly.
-Get up already, Owen! You planning to sleep in now that we're in town for once?
His father's voice waking him as he rolled half-asleep in the baggage cart.
Years later, his face had blurred in memory, but his sturdy arms and copper hair just like Owen's lingered vividly.
-Owen, get up and take this to the nearby church. Looks like we need the priests to bless it.
His mother's face was blurry too as she said that. But her worried voice and the pendant's crimson hue were so vivid.
-Bart's gift? Why?
-Lately, when I sleep with this necklace on, I have nightmares. Scary ones where everything's engulfed in flames.
-Really? Never happened before.
-Yeah. So I'm sending you to show the priest. Might be cursed.
The scene shifted quickly after their quiet talk, and soon Owen was at a church on the town's outskirts, clutching the crimson pendant in one hand.
Thud!
But at the church entrance, Owen bumped into a strange man. Dressed in fine clothes mismatched with a bizarre half-mask.
[...What the hell is this?]
A chilling yellow glint shone from behind the half-mask.
[Why is this here? Why's a guy who should be dead walking around fine?]
The moment their eyes met, an indescribable terror overwhelmed Owen.