Chapter 280: 280 Retirement
Chapter 280: Retirement
► Confusion: Student Piko's case isn't rare. Due to the appearance of the "Karma" skill in the system, a large number of students have resigned. There are even those whose personalities have changed so much that they've become even worse than villains!
'Thank you for the clarification, beautiful and smart Trainee Teacher!'
99.999% of the heroes were people who couldn't adapt to life in society. On Earth, they grew up hearing at school and from their parents that they were "dumb."
Such individuals had to be babysat and constantly praised to grow heroes out of them.
I was certain of that since I watched Classmate A grow up to eventually become Married Man A.
Whenever the locals ignored him and despised him, the half-breed would cheer him up and babysit him.
"Han Soo, I decided that I'll only live for her from this point onwards."
"What about the Demon Lord?"
"If the Demon Lord falls, this world will also disappear. I will watch over her until the Demon Lord reveals his plans first."
"Oh, I see."
Should I turn him to dust now?
In my head, I had 493 ways to punish the B-ranked Hero who took the MAX-Class Demon Lord for a fool, but I didn't follow through with the idea.
I wanted to observe the changes of Married Man A.
Trainee Teacher did say many like him surrendered and resigned.
He'd serve as a good reference.
"Cut the nonsense and just be honest, cowardly husband. Congratulate him."
"Congratulate him?"
'Bro, congratulations on entering a hellhole called 'nurturing a newborn baby!''
"You're such a child."
Ssosia kept poking me in the side to congratulate them, but the fact that the Hero chose family over the peace of humanity remained unchanged.
That was no more than a negligent attitude towards their official duties!
But I wasn't going to criticize him.
Because if I were in his shoes, I would have done the same.
The safety and happiness of one's family had to always come first.
However…
Wasn't he acting a little too rash?
The half-breed continued to stare at me with concern on her face.
She knew that I was the Demon Lord, after all… and that even the Brave and Hero combo wouldn't work against me.
"Am I… free?" She asked cautiously.
She became the Hero's companion only because she needed my forgiveness and since I granted her mercy.
I looked at her belly.
It wasn't visible yet in her current state, but new life was clearly being created in her.
"May the patronage of Mollan be with you."
"Ah! Thank you!"
The girl visibly relaxed, and sparkles appeared in her eyes.
Previously, she was just a woman I disliked, but now she was a "future mother," protecting the next generation.
I turned to Married Man A.
"My dear friend, you know that if the Demon Lord or you dies, this world will disappear along with your wife and child, don't you?"
"I know…"
"Good."
It was an epaulette mate. [TL: Chess Reference]
Having conceived a child, he could no longer participate in the murder of the Demon Lord.
And that wasn't all.
If my copy threatened him by saying he would commit suicide, Married Man A would have to stop it by any means.
I showed the newly made bride the smile of the Righteous Hero.
"Become a wife that your husband will be able to love forever if you don't want to die."
"Yes! Of course!"
Ssosia poked me in the side again, but I ignored her.
I needed to do it.
If Married Man A's passion cooled down and he went off to kill the Demon Lord, that would be the end.
"Kang Han Soo, you need to fix your terrible temper. Would you like it if someone tells you they want to kill your wife?"
My ignorant friend was talking nonsense again.
"Yes, it would put me in a great mood."
"What?!"
"In a great mood to kill someone."
"…"
With family came huge danger, burden, and responsibility.
I knew about it all too well, considering I suffered from the teaching staff after Chris, my son, was born through my bond with the Sword Princess.
Hence, after that, I always used the Lucky Ring.
That way, my family wouldn't grow anymore.
I didn't expect my mother would give birth to another one, though!
"Be happy, my friend."
"Kang Han Soo! I will pray that Mollan's patronage will be with you! Mollan!"
"Good. May Mollan be with you too. Mollan!"
'Master Mollan! Please make sure my friend doesn't desire divorce for a long time.'
"Mollan? Mollan~"
Master Mollan treated both single people and couples equally and without prejudice.
***
I didn't even try too hard, but the heroes failed already.
And with each regression, their Karma hit them even harder than before.
As a result, primary education had almost completely ceased to function.
My juniors just died way too often.
It was especially hard for the newcomers.
And even if they accumulated experience over time, their Karma's rank by then was already so high that they could no longer put everything in order.
► News: Cadet Kang Han Soo! It looks like action will be taken soon. I briefly heard that a new skill would be added that could balance Karma without removing it.
'Thank you so much, secret friend!'
Most of the management of the Fantasy institution had been acquired by Ssosia.
Therefore, realizing that they couldn't remove Karma, the teaching staff chose Plan B: balancement.
It was unclear how the director would support the heroes, but the assistance they could offer would clearly be limited.
Because Fantasy didn't consist only of "light."
If, as now, light and darkness opposed each other, it would be almost impossible to do something.
"For now, I'll calmly observe the development of events."
"You think it'll be that simple? Your rival is still the First Angel, cowardly hubby."
"And I'm the Demon Lord."
I didn't know what my father-in-law was doing right now, but the retired first Demon Lord Pedonar had disappeared into history.
The era of the Demon Lord Parmamon had arrived!
All the "darkness" of the Fantasy World belonged to me.
Even if we came face to face with the First Angel, I was sure I wouldn't fail.
"In the process, however, you'll lose a lot," My cowardly wife reproached me.
"Everything is within my expectations. Even if I do nothing, I will still win."
Having looked at Married Man A, I was convinced of this.
As soon as the heroes married the inhabitants of Fantasy and had children, they would have to give up the thought of killing the Demon Lord.
With the institution paralyzed, I would win.
"Why?"
"What were you doing when your MAX-Class husband explained everything, Ssosia?"
"Ignoring you."
"Listen. If the Demon Lord threatens the Heroes with suicide, then the second generation of Fantasy heroes will have no choice but to surrender."
"Oh!"
Heroes would try to prevent the death of the resurrected Demon Lord!
It sounded strange, but it definitely wasn't impossible to happen.
► Surprise: How did you know about that? You are simply amazing, cadet Kang Han Soo! This issue was also discussed at the meeting of the teaching staff. The exact cause is unknown, but the rate of marriage and childbirth among students has risen sharply.
The disciples gave up their studies and began to enjoy their lives. That was a serious problem for the teaching staff.
But I understood their side.
If the lectures were too difficult, students would become stressed, which in turn would result in them being distracted by other things.
For example, love.
"Personal experience?"
"A friend's experience."
I was an obedient child growing up under the supervision of my mother's racket.
And Married Man A really resigned. Right now, they were trying to resolve their housing issue.
That wasn't why I came to the Holy Empire.
"I think it's great. He chose love over fame."
"Hey, stop watching melodramas."
"I don't watch those."
"Ha! Cowardly little wife, you think I don't know that you secretly read novels and comics on my smartphone? I also know the latest work you read."
Novella: Is This Relationship Real?
It seemed to describe love between a god who chose between true love and a harem.
And at the ending, what happened was…
"I just thought to read one chapter for fun— Huh?! Don't spoil its ending, cowardly husband! I'll curse you for life if you do!"
"I won't."
Well then! Perhaps it was time to meet a different hero.
Once I had left it, my copy would return to the throne by himself.
At this moment…
"H-help!"
I saw a guy running away from someone as he panicked.
Arrows were stuck in his shoulder and back, and a huge wound was visible under the torn clothes on his taut body.
And behind him…
Thud—Thud— Thud—
Knights in dark armor were chasing after him.
Who was he?
▷ Race: Human
▷ Race: 485
▷ Job: Imperial Prince (Rank in the hierarchy = Trust ↑)
▷ Skills: Sword Mastery B, Immunity B, Incitement C, Politics C, Patronage C…
▷ Status: Wounded, Bleeding, Poisoned
Prince.
The son of the emperor.
I was at the capital of the Holy Empire, the only empire on the Central Continent. It was unlikely that a prince from another country would be here.
Besides, I recognized him.
"Isn't that Prince A?"
"Would you stop calling people nicknames only you can understand?"
Prince A, or the Imperial Prince.
With the absolute support of the nobles, he would become the next emperor once the current ruler of the Holy Empire died of disease.
And as soon as he ascended to the throne, he would immediately send knights and assassins to execute his cunning sister, the Imperial Princess.
Some would think it was unfair, but that wasn't the case at all.
The Imperial Princess only dreamed of conspiracy and revolution.
"This situation is rather strange, though."
That moderately clever prince was the eldest son of the current emperor, so it was only natural that he would be the first contender for the throne.
But now, he was running away like a hunted prey in the center of his own capital.
What happened?
"Help… Kh?!"
I decided not to worry about guesswork but to inquire to the person in question himself.
"Sorry, Prince A, for grabbing you by the throat, but I need to know why you're running away."
"I-I was unfairly accused!"
What an abstract answer. I dug deeper for more details.
"Boris, calm the others down."
"Yes, sir." The beautiful spirit answered, ensuring that the demons and their followers, who would inadvertently greet me as their lord in front of everyone, wouldn't come across me.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Thanks to her dominant fighting power, Boris quickly got rid of all the knights.
They were all destroyed at once, like devices that were deprived of power.
"So…"
"Kh-kh!"
Grabbing the Imperial Prince between the 6th and 7th cervical vertebrae, I walked carelessly through the streets of the capital.
"My imperial-blooded ugly friend, don't cry and calmly tell me what you were accused of."
"M-my throat first…
"Don't worry about it."
He had just been unjustly accused! Wasn't that more important than his neck?
"I was accused of having connections with heretics who believe in Mollan's Teachings, a religion prevailing on the Northern Continent."
"Heretics?"
How could he say such terrible things?
"Yes. The Holy Empire is ruled by the Lanuberk family, whose members are the descendants of the one and only God. Therefore, it is absolutely unforgivable for the divine heir to be accused of serving Mollan, which strictly prohibits slime-hunting. Why would I, the future ruler of the empire, worship some kind of slime…"
While the prince was babbling enthusiastically, his neck suddenly broke.
"Oh! Oh my God! Prince! I, The first apostle of Mollan's Teachings, will avenge your unfortunate death."
The time had come to spread the truth about what the unjust false teachings had suppressed!
"Don't you have a conscience, husband?"
"The time has come to rise and fight, loyal followers of Mollan!"
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