Part 3
Samuel looked at Arlo’s leg with immense guilt and couldn’t help but apologize to Arlo again.
“Divine Envoy Arlo,” Samuel whispered, “I’m sorry.”
Arlo: “…”
Arlo didn’t want to get too close to Samuel; he carefully moved back a few steps, trying to distance himself from this strange knight, before waving to Samuel and saying, “It’s okay, I don’t blame you.”
After all, he was a divine envoy who had lived for hundreds of years; he couldn’t hold it against Samuel, a young human.
Samuel’s face still showed some guilt. He hung his head but couldn’t help but praise Lance’s tolerance and inclusiveness to Arlo. So he glanced at Lance, who was still standing there—Misa was standing beside Lance, talking to him, and in Samuel’s eyes, both Divine Envoy Misa and Hero Lance were people he admired greatly.
Samuel finally spoke softly, “Lord Lance, he is truly amazing.”
Arlo: “…”
“From childhood to adulthood, no one has ever spoken to me like him,” Samuel whispered, as if remembering some unpleasant memories, “And no one has ever understood my dreams.”
Arlo: “…”
No, Arlo thought, Lance probably doesn’t understand either.
What dreams? This wicked Hero probably just wants a glittering golden ticket that can also mend clothes, cook, and carry things for the whole team.
Samuel sighed again, “And no one has ever encouraged me like this.”
He still looked at the Hero’s back, the confusion in his eyes gradually disappearing, replaced by respect. He was willing to follow the Hero, willing to wield his sword for the Hero, until he could… could become…
The light in Samuel’s eyes dimmed slightly. He thought of many things he feared, and he wasn’t sure if he could do those things—
He was afraid.
He was always overshadowed by his brother, never held in high regard, and now that someone was finally willing to believe in him and bring him into their team, he was naturally nervous and apprehensive.
“Divine Envoy Arlo,” Samuel lowered his voice, trembling slightly, his tone full of uncontrollable fear and anxiety, “Can I really… do it?”
Arlo: “…”
This poor young knight, like a lost lamb, hung his head helplessly and said guiltily and anxiously, “Like you, like Lord Lance, become—”
Arlo suddenly raised his hand, interrupting Samuel’s unfinished words.
“Wait,” Arlo was very calm, unaffected by Samuel’s anxiety, “Do you have any misunderstandings about Lance?”
Samuel froze, “I… misunderstandings? No, right?”
Arlo sighed, patted Samuel on the shoulder, and earnestly warned, “Don’t have any illusions about this Hero.”
Samuel: “Ah?”
Arlo: “You’ll be disillusioned sooner or later.”
Samuel: “…”
Before Samuel could ask, Arlo had already straightened his crutch, hopped painfully on one leg, and hopped away.
He didn’t need Samuel’s help; Samuel was afraid that his help might cause the divine envoy another painful injury.
But no matter what…
Samuel scratched his head, not understanding Arlo’s meaning at all.
He simply took a step towards Misa and Lance in the center of the courtyard.
Misa was following Lance, curiously asking about what he had said to Samuel.
“You said you also had unrealistic dreams as a child,” Misa asked seriously, “What was that dream?”
Because of his urgent desire to return to the divine realm, Misa felt that he should try to learn more about the Hero.
Once he found out about the Hero’s past and preferences, he would surely find a way to get the Hero to go to the Demon Lord’s castle!
But Lance didn’t answer his question.
Lance’s expression was strange; he seemed to recall some long-forgotten memories, momentarily lost in his recollections, but this expression was fleeting; he quickly returned to his familiar demeanor, shook his head, and refused to answer.
“It was too long ago,” Lance said, “I can’t remember.”
“How could you forget such a thing?” Misa took a few more steps forward, closer to Lance, “You’re still so young.”
Lance: “…”
“Of course, if you don’t want to speak, I won’t force you,” Misa tried to show his superb acting skills, “I understand, everyone has a past they don’t want to talk about.”
Lance: “…”
He finally stopped and looked at Misa.
Misa was trying hard to show his friendliness, using the same unchanging expression to try to entice the Hero to speak. This look was indeed cute, and Lance didn’t mind looking at it for a while longer.
Lance countered, “What about you?”
Misa: “…”
Damn, it seems he’s been played by the Hero.
But Misa thought, his childhood dreams weren’t important; even if Lance knew, it wouldn’t matter. If he could get Lance’s dreams out of this, it would be worth it.
“Let’s make a deal then,” Misa raised an eyebrow, “Exchange secrets; there’s no problem with that, right?”
Lance smiled and nodded, “Okay.”
Samuel, who had already walked up to them, stopped.
Since it was between the two of them, he shouldn’t step in, so he stepped back a few steps and saw Arlo hopping clumsily in the distance. After hesitating for a while, he quickly stepped forward, trying to catch up with Arlo.
Only Lance and Misa were left in the center of the courtyard.
Misa stared intently at Lance; he didn’t want to lose in this exchange, so he didn’t want to speak in front of Lance. He was wary and cautious, carefully asking, “You go first?”
Lance: “Ah, forget it, I’m not that interested in what you were thinking as a child.”
Misa: “…”
Misa: “Okay! I’ll go first!”
He frowned and whispered his childhood dreams.
“Actually, it’s not that amazing of a dream,” Misa stammered, “It’s… it’s just… wanting to be the most powerful Demon Lord.”
Lance was stunned.
Lance: “Want to be what?”
Misa’s voice got smaller and smaller, until his ears turned red, his voice almost like a mosquito’s buzz, mumbling, “The kind of… the most fierce, the most evil… who has killed many heroes… great Demon Lord…”
Lance: “…”
Misa blushed.
Yes, his greatest dream was to become the most incredible Demon Lord in the world.
This dream had been consistent throughout; even now, he hadn’t given up, and even when he left the divine realm to take up the position of Demon Lord, he was still looking forward to it, thinking that his dream might soon come true.
Come true my ass!
How did he end up with such a strange Hero?!
Misa took a deep breath, trying to recover from the terrible embarrassment. He stared into the Hero’s eyes, and mustered the courage to ask, “What about you?”
Lance: “…”
Misa: “I’ve already said it, Lord Lance, you can’t go back on your word!”
Lance: “…”
Lance was silent for a long time before speaking softly and slowly, “It’s not a grand dream.”
Misa: “It doesn’t matter, just tell me!”
“Of course, it’s not as great as yours…” He smiled slightly, seeming to find Misa’s dream very interesting, “If you want to know, I can tell you.”
Misa: “I want to know!”
Lance: “It was just to become a printing press.”
Misa: “…”
Print…
What?
How could anyone have that kind of dream?!
No, wait.
Other people might not have this kind of dream, but for this strange Hero, this dream… is very reasonable, very much in line with his personality.
Lance added, “But I don’t have that dream anymore.”
Misa: “You’ve lost interest in money?”
Lance shook his head, “Of course not.”
Misa: “Then why…”
Lance looked meaningfully at Misa, “I don’t want to cause inflation.”
Misa: “…”
Misa: “Ah?”
According to Lance’s plan, they needed to go to the Dwarf city as soon as possible to convey the news of the agreement with humans to the Dwarf city lord, Oshien.
Under the watchful eyes of the lord and the bishop, Lance couldn’t openly open the secret door under the temple and go to the Dwarf city through the underground passage. He needed to take the right path, from Sky City to the volcano, and then find the hidden passage on the volcano’s mountain wall to enter the underground and reach the Dwarf city.
This route was relatively complicated; the lord cautiously suggested that they send a knight squad to accompany them, but Lance refused the lord’s kindness and then told the lord about inviting Samuel to join.
Since the Goddess had positioned the Hero as the spokesperson of the gods in the human world, the lord naturally couldn’t refuse Lance’s request.
He didn’t remove Samuel’s position as knight captain; he only allowed Samuel to accompany the Savior on behalf of Sky City to contribute to the crisis-ridden world.
Samuel was grateful for the lord’s open-mindedness; he packed his bags and couldn’t wait to go to the Dwarf city with the Hero.
This time, Lance didn’t object.
He didn’t want to bring a knight squad, but his attitude towards this all-purpose tool, Samuel, was quite good. And now, Samuel already considered Lance as the direction of his faith.
He didn’t heed Arlo’s advice at all, simply treating Lance as the only person who understood and supported him. As long as it was the Hero’s order, he was happy to execute it.
Misa thought it wouldn’t take three days for Samuel’s dreams to be shattered.
Arlo thought even more bluntly.
Three days?
He thought Samuel would see the Hero’s true colors today.
The lord and bishop were full of anticipation and specifically saw Lance off from Sky City. Their enthusiasm far exceeded their first meeting; the bishop was full of eagerness and said with ardent hope, “Lord Lance, Sky City depends on you.”
Lance: “What use are you if you don’t work hard yourselves?”
Bishop: “…Ah?”
Lance was about to say more, but Misa suddenly rushed forward, pressed Lance’s shoulder, pulled him back, causing Lance to stumble, forcefully stopping Lance’s next words.
Arlo spoke at the right time, smoothing things over for Lance, saying, “Lord Lance means that the future of Sky City needs our joint efforts.”
Bishop: “…”
But Lance felt that Arlo was wrong; he wanted to speak again.
Lance: “Is salvation the responsibility of the Hero alone?”
Misa immediately picked up Lance’s words: “Of course, this requires everyone’s concerted efforts!”
Lance: “…”
Lance raised his eyebrows slightly, but didn’t correct the misinterpretation of Misa and Arlo. He simply continued, “Perhaps you should reflect on yourselves.”
Arlo smiled, “We should all reflect on ourselves.”
Misa: “Reflection can always make people better.”
Arlo: “As long as everyone works together—”
He frowned, remembering that he didn’t know the details of the transaction between the Hero and the lord of Sky City, he could only look at Misa, waiting for Misa to continue the sentence.
Misa: “As long as everyone works together, Sky City will surely be saved.” Misa said seriously, “I believe that one day, more monsters will sense the divine call and become believers of the gods…”
The smile on his face froze slightly, and he suddenly realized something was wrong with what he had said.
It’s over, Misa thought, he might have been corrupted by the Hero’s subtle influence.
He was supposed to destroy everything and become the Hero’s mortal enemy, the Demon Lord!
Why would he say something about human-demon harmony?
No, he should make the Hero fear the words “Demon Lord,” he would appear as the Demon Lord tonight to beat the Hero up!
He must restore the glory of the evil Demon Lord!!
The author has something to say:
The Demon Lord is finally going to beat up the Hero!
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