Chapter 37: A New Oracle
Misha was fuming.
He just couldn’t wrap his head around it.
Why did the Hero seem to target him constantly? Take right now, for instance. There were so many people present, yet the Hero chose to write only his name in the notebook, and if that wasn’t enough, he tagged a derogatory description right after it.
Hmph. That was basically code for “gullible idiot with deep pockets, come fleece me.”
Despicable!
But bound by his mission from the Divine Realm, Misha couldn’t exactly do anything to this annoying Hero. That was setting aside the fact that he probably couldn’t beat the guy in a fight anyway. He could only swallow his anger, turn his head away, and attempt to put some physical distance between himself and this irritating man.
However, just as he took a few steps back, he caught a glimpse of Lance raising his pen again out of the corner of his eye. Lance added a few more words to the line he had just written.
Misha: “…”
Misha hesitated.
He desperately wanted to see what Lance had written, but his gut told him it wouldn’t be anything nice. Based on his understanding of the Hero and the man’s track record, it was definitely another insult.
So, Misha took a few more steps back, practically shuffling over to where the succubi were standing.
Only then did Lance stop writing. He looked up at Misha and said, “There was one thing he said just now that I very much agree with.”
Misha: “…”
Itâs a trap. Everything the Hero does is a trap.
He didn’t want to listen to a word this annoying man had to say.
“Your… name,” Lance paused slightly, a strange expression on his face, before pursing his lips and continuing, “is indeed very cute.”
Misha: “…”
Misha did not accept this olive branch.
Was that supposed to be a compliment?
When combined with the three descriptors the Hero had written on the paper, it was clearly implying that he was unreliable and too young. In other words, he was calling him stupid.
Heh.
Detestable Hero.
It was too late to salvage the situation now.
The Demon King’s affinity rating for you has dropped!
Misha refused to make a sound and silently retreated even further away.
Lance blinked, finally realizing something was wrong. Misha seemed angry, and for a moment, Lance wasn’t sure how to fix it.
By now, Misha had retreated all the way to the succubi. He frowned and turned around, only to find the very succubus who had praised him earlier standing right behind him. The succubus still wore that expression of uncontrollable excitement, his eyes practically sparkling. He took a deliberate step forward and asked carefully, “Lord Divine Messenger, are… are you free right now?”
Misha paused, then nodded subconsciously.
The succubus grew even more excited. He swallowed hard, looking incredibly nervous. “I didn’t finish what I was saying earlier.”
Misha scratched his head. “Huh? What were you saying?”
Succubus: “If you’ll come with me, I’ll tell youâ”
Lance: “You’ve finished speaking.”
Misha: “…”
Succubus: “…”
“You praised him well,” Lance said softly. “I’ll handle the rest.”
Misha: “?”
Misha frowned. When he looked back at the succubus, the creature had already scrambled back several steps, as if terrified by the Hero’s brief interjection, not daring to look Misha in the eye again.
Misha looked back at Lance, but Lance’s expression was the same as always. The tone he used just now was identical to the tone he used when interrupting the Goddess or the Divine Messengerânothing special about it.
So weird.
Misha scratched his head.
Why is this succubus so afraid of the Hero?
Standing to the side, Arlo wore a look that said, “I knew it.”
He took a deep breath, confirming once again that his judgment was sound. The Hero definitely had feelings for the Demon King. And Misha, completely oblivious, just wanted to finish this accursed Demon King mission and return to the Divine Realm as soon as possible.
Arlo turned his head and caught the expression on the Archdemon Ashbyâs face.
Their eyes met, and in an instant, they confirmed that the other was thinking exactly the same thing.
Arlo: “…”
Ashby: “…”
The Archdemon and the Divine Messenger had reached an unexpected, tacit understanding.
Good.
It seems everyone can see it.
This Hero is absolutely nursing a one-sided crush on the Demon King!
Lance felt that their plan was already halfway complete.
The succubi possessed perfect natural advantages: beautiful appearances, excellent skills, and they were great listeners who loved counseling others. Aside from their fanatical love for draining human life force, they had almost no downsides.
He still remembered Succubus A’s dream of opening a shop. Of course, Lance would never support the illegal establishment they had in mind. But if they could consolidate the succubi’s strengths and open a trial shop in Skyreach City, it seemed like a solid idea.
Lance looked at Ashby and said, “Why don’t you prepare it?”
Ashby: “Huh?”
He clearly couldn’t keep up with the Hero’s erratic train of thought.
“So many employees,” Lance said. “With such a large-scale investment, Skyreach City will welcome it.”
They could bring a significant labor force to the economically depressed Skyreach City, provide numerous jobs, and generate substantial tax revenue. Lance had already prepared his negotiation points for the city administrator. He was confident he could secure real benefits for the succubus shop, and the paperwork should only take a few days to approve.
It worked out perfectly since they had to take Prince Deventer back to the human capital anyway. They could stop over in Skyreach City and use the teleportation circle there to leave, saving a lot of time.
Since that was the case, Lance felt there was no need to linger in Ashby’s domain.
He needed to take Deventer back to Skyreach City and finalize the details for the succubus shop.
But Deventer didn’t want to return to the capital.
He was terrified. He worried that once he left, he might never be able to return to this place. He didn’t want to leave Ashby, but he didn’t know how to beg for the Hero’s sympathy. He hemmed and hawed, eventually managing only a whisper: “I… I don’t want toâ”
Lance simply cut him off. “It’s fine. Ashby will go with you.”
Ashby: “Huh?”
Lance: “You want him to face the King and Queen alone?”
Ashby immediately compromised. “…Fine.”
But Misha knew better. This damned Hero couldn’t possibly have such a kind heart.
He had definitely dug a pit somewhere and was just waiting for Ashby to jump in.
Sure enough, the moment Ashby agreed, Lance flashed that smile Misha knew all too well.
“But you can’t go to the capital as an Archdemon, can you?” Lance said. “You’ll need an appropriate disguise.”
Ashby felt Lance had a point.
He did need a suitable cover identity. His magic was sufficient to alter his appearance, but having rarely stepped foot in human towns, he struggled to think of an identity that would match his sweet Deventer.
Lance: “A wealthy merchant would be good.”
Ashby realized the wisdom of this and nodded. “That is indeed good.”
Lance: “A successful entrepreneur who can bring huge profits to the national treasury would be even better.”
Ashby: “…”
He looked at Lance in confusion and asked, “Bring huge profits?”
Here it comes.
Misha felt he could already see the trap Lance had prepared for Ashby.
Lance slowly turned around and looked at the magnificent, glittering palace behind them.
Ashby: “No… that won’t do…”
Lance smiled at Ashby.
Ashby: “…Absolutely not!”
Lance lowered his voice. “Do you know how much money the Kingdom spent on the war that nearly started because of Deventer?”
Ashby: “I…”
“I don’t know either,” Lance said. “But once I check the accounts, I’ll know soon enough.”
Ashby: “…”
“You will compensate for the losses you caused,” Lance raised an eyebrow slightly. “No problem, right?”
Ashby: “…”
Ashby nodded silently, tears in his eyes.
Dammit, how did it come to this?
Not only was he forced to wear a shirt and pants, but now it seemed he was going to lose his palace too.
Sob… are all you human Heroes like this?
The Hero spent the day in Ashby’s domain, going through the palace ledgers, inventorying the warehouse, and offering some “small suggestions” regarding their finances.
Misha found it very strange.
Every move the Hero made was bizarre. It seemed he genuinely wanted to teach these succubi to be self-reliant and was even trying to teach them how to control their desires.
Misha felt he was bound to fail.
It was simply impossible. That was the succubi’s nature; how could a succubus defy their own nature?
Not just succubiâMisha felt no race could do such a thing.
The Hero called him simple, but Misha felt that when it came to things like this, the Hero was clearly the naive one.
He followed the Hero to a few of the succubus warehouses, getting increasingly bored. The sky had turned dark, yet Lance showed no sign of stopping. Misha finally used the excuse of needing to rest and recover his magic to slip away to the room Ashby had prepared for him.
Just as he stepped outside the room, he heard hurried footsteps behind him. Arlo ran up to him anxiously and said, “Gineses has an urgent matter.”
Misha froze.
Only then did he see the small mirror with a golden handle in Arlo’s hand. It was similar to the magic mirror in the Demon King’s castle, only smaller and difficult to maintain a connection with the Divine Realm for long.
Arlo looked around cautiously, then held up the small mirror. The surface didn’t reflect their surroundings; instead, a ball of light flickered erratically within it, accompanied by a voice breaking up with static.
“Mi… Misha…” Gineses said. “The… Divine Realm has new… instructions…”
Misha nodded solemnly.
Great.
The gods haven’t abandoned them after all!
Misha followed Arlo, sneaking out of the palace and into the uninhabited dense forest on the other side of the oasis.
Arlo placed the mirror on the ground, then fished out a crystal pendant and placed it on top of the mirror.
Misha recognized it as an Otherworld Stone, a rarity in the Divine Realm. It was said that with this stone, one could travel freely through the layers of the Divine Realm. Only the gods and senior Demon King envoys could possess one. A stone containing such immense magic, combined with a magic mirror capable of communicating with the Divine Realm, was enough to stabilize their connection with Gineses.
Sure enough, the moment the Otherworld Stone touched the mirror’s surface, Gineses’s stuttering voice suddenly became clear. She took a deep breath and asked, “Is there anyone else around you?”
Misha: “No, we’re in the woods.”
Gineses breathed a sigh of relief. “The Divine Realm has discussed it. We intend to give the Hero some extra motivation to crusade against monsters.”
Misha was thrilled. “I’ll cooperate fully!”
“The Divine Realm will assist the Black Dragon King, Jearry,” Gineses said. “He is to kidnap the human Princess from the capital.”
Misha paused.
It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with the Divine Realm’s plan.
But wasn’t the human kingdom having a bit too much bad luck?
The Prince was just coming back, and now the Princess was going to be snatched away?
“Don’t worry, Jearry won’t hurt the Princess,” Gineses said, seemingly understanding Misha’s concern. “The Black Dragon’s territory is very close to the Demon King’s castle. As long as the Hero goes to save the Princess, he will inevitably step into the Demon King’s castle, which is right next door.”
Misha: “…”
No, I think the Hero can actually resist that temptation.
“But the Divine Realm needs some time to arrange this,” Gineses said with a hint of helplessness. “Misha, you need to stall the Hero for a few days.”
Misha couldn’t understand. “Is something wrong with Jearry?”
Gineses sounded exasperated.
“He… says there are special circumstances.” Gineses didn’t know how to phrase it. “He can’t leave the Dragon Cave for the time being.”
Misha: “Special circumstances?”
Gineses: “…”
Misha scratched his head, remembering Black Dragon Jearry’s overly lazy personality, and couldn’t help but worry.
“Did he fall asleep again?” Misha sighed. “I can go wake himâ”
Gineses suddenly lowered her voice. “He seems to be incubating an egg.”
Misha: “…”
Misha: “Huh?!”
Wait, hold on.
If he remembered correctly, isn’t Jearry a male dragon?!
“I asked him. It’s been three years, and the Hero never came,” Gineses said, sounding incredibly resigned. “He seemed to get bored, so he found something to do for himself.”
Misha: “…”
So weird. Why is everything so weird?
“Right now that… er, egg, is in a critical period. He can’t leave,” Gineses whispered. “The High Deity put me in charge of this project, and I suppose incubating an egg does seem rather important.”
Misha: “…”
Gineses: “Just stall for four or five days. That shouldn’t be hard, right?”
Misha: “…”
Misha couldn’t help but recall Jearry’s appearance in human form.
He was at least 1.9 meters tall, with a gloomy face featuring subtle scales on his cheeks, an aura that could make human children cry, and always dressed in black. In dragon form, his body was massive. Neither form seemed to have anything to do with something like a dragon egg.
Him? Incubating an egg?
Misha was very worried for that egg.
But regardless, at least there was finally some progress on the main mission.
Misha’s mood improved slightly. Although he felt Gineses’s plan wouldn’t necessarily guide Lance into the Demon King’s castle, just getting the Hero to step into the Black Dragon’s territory would be a major victory.
Arlo put away the mirror and the Otherworld Stone. The two walked toward the palace not far away, and Arlo lowered his voice to ask Misha, “Do you have any thoughts?”
Misha didn’t have time to answer.
He immediately spotted the Hero standing under a palm tree nearby.
Crap.
Misha yanked hard on Arlo’s sleeve.
How are they going to explain this?!
Lance was already looking at Misha and Arlo.
“Ah,” Lance’s tone was completely flat. “Couldn’t sleep, so you two went out together?”
Misha: “…”
Arlo: “…”
Misha didn’t know how to explain.
He could only force an awkward smile at the Hero and stammer, “We… we were just…”
“The Goddess sent down an Oracle,” Arlo said. “Lord Lance, we were just coming to find you.”
Misha: “…”
Right! He’s a Divine Messenger now!
It was perfectly normal for a Divine Messenger to listen to the Goddess’s Oracle; he didn’t need to hide the fact that they were talking to the Goddess.
Of course, the content of the conversation still needed to be hidden.
Misha looked at Lance with newfound confidence and said, “Since you’re here, we can relay the Oracle to you directly.”
“The Goddess?” Lance frowned slightly. “Uh… Gi… something… s?”
Misha: “…”
Arlo: “…”
What is wrong with this guy? How has he still not memorized the Goddess’s name?!
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