0.0000001% Demon King - 0DK Chapter 28: To the Holy Land (3) (Part 1)  

“Ugh…”

After consuming all the walnuts, Karos staggered to his feet. His stomach growled continuously, craving more food.

“Aaah…”

Despair-filled cries escaped from Karos’s mouth. He felt he might die before even reaching the holy land. That intuition was strong.

The first week was somewhat bearable. Eat, move, sleep, eat, move, sleep. Because of this simple repetition, emptying his mind and moving allowed him to bear the physical pain to some extent.

However, as the second week passed, his stomach suddenly started to twist. As if the festering inside finally reached its limit, as if the accumulation of holy power exploded, his body began to deteriorate.

But still, he somehow moved. He had no choice. If Sinclair noticed his body breaking down due to consuming holy power, she would surely realize he was a demon. He barely dragged his body forward.

But even that was reaching its limit. Had he not secretly eaten walnuts or wild fruits, he would have collapsed long ago.

“Ugh.”

He barely suppressed the nausea. Even the level of physical exertion from vomiting was unbearable given his condition. He couldn’t afford to lose the nutrients he had forced into his body.

Karos forced himself to stand up and walked out of the forest. The aromatic yet dreadful smell assaulted his nose. Sinclair, following behind, greeted him.

“Are you done?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm. You don’t seem to be in good shape…”

Sinclair scanned Karos from head to toe with a worried gaze.

“Somehow, I can’t figure it out. Holy power is supposed to heal all diseases.”

“I guess I have a constitution that doesn’t take well to holy power.”

“Is there such a constitution?”

“It seems so.”

“Hmm. That’s interesting.”

Sinclair looked at Karos with curiosity in her eyes, but no trace of suspicion. Karos breathed a sigh of relief, unseen.

‘Phew.’

This is the limit.

It might have been bearable if it were just the meals, but every night Sinclair hugged him to sleep. While there was a pretext of comforting him, Karos didn’t see it that way.

“Hmm. Done.”

While Karos was lost in thought, Sinclair banged the ladle.

“Come and eat.”

“…No.”

Karos shook his head.

“I’m fine today.”

Given his current condition, it was better to starve than eat. Sinclair’s face showed noticeable confusion at Karos’s response.

“Why, why not? Was the taste of the food not to your liking?”

Karos let out a bitter smile at her visibly perplexed expression.

“No, it’s just that my stomach doesn’t feel well.”

“Hmm. Then you must eat tomorrow. I will try my best.”

“Understood. I’ll just go to the stream to freshen up for a bit.”

“Alright. I’ll finish eating in the meantime.”

Karos gulped down water at the stream, trying to fill his starving stomach with at least water.

“…Can you hear me?”

Staring blankly at his reflection on the water’s surface, Karos spoke. Voices began to echo in his ears.

– Hey! Stop eating all of mine!

– Aren’t you a demon? Moreover, a former Demon King of unmatched strength. Can’t you cede this meal to me?

– Ah. This insolent human, really.

– Please, calm down, Bathesia. I will prepare your portion as well.

– That’s not the point! Lillis! This is a crucial issue! It’s about the dignity of a Demon King!

– You’re not a Demon King anymore, are you? You were a former Demon King.

– This is real!

Amidst the noisy backdrop, Karos listened and then chuckled lightly.

“What are you all doing?”

**** ****

– Karos! This human is too arrogant!

Bathesia raised her voice, seemingly venting her frustration. Irina’s calm voice responded.

– Aren’t you and I both servants of the same master? The Demon King hasn’t established a hierarchy among us, so we should consider each other equal.

– Look at her! A human dares to say that! Do something about it!

“You deal with it, pal.”

Karos laughed, rubbing his forehead. For a moment, the limit of his physical endurance seemed to fade.

“Irina, your personality seems to have changed?”

– This is my true personality. I hope you can accept this tantrum as a response to the situation.

“It’s fine. You seem to be getting along. That’s good enough.”

– Good my foot.

Bathesia grumbled.

– When you return, we need to sort out the hierarchy. So, what’s up? You usually contact us at night, but suddenly during the day.

– Lord Demon King, are you alright?

“Not okay.”

Karos’s response, devoid of any jest, took Bathesia aback.

– Ka, Karos?

“I thought I could endure it being a half-demon, but I’m reaching my limit.”

He pressed his temples. The seriousness of his tone quieted the other side.

– Well, yes. Considering the Demon King’s situation, not eating properly, not getting enough sleep, and continuously moving. It’s understandable that it’s unbearable even just thinking about it.

Irina spoke seriously. Karos’s body was at the level of an ordinary human. Even without the influence of holy power, the journey was too harsh. It was now a matter of enduring with sheer willpower.

– …We should go help.

“No.”

Karos immediately rejected Bathesia’s suggestion.

– But then you’ll die!

“If you come, we both die. It’s impossible.”

– Are you telling me to just watch you die!

– My Lord, I share Bathesia’s sentiments. If the Demon King dies, we face the same fate. I wish to determine our fate at least.

Lillis spoke without changing her tone, but her words carried determination. Karos fell silent at her resolute statement.

Hyung_Otaku

I'm currently Translating the following novels: Pick Me Up! | A Frontline Soldier Awakened as a Gamer In The War! | The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player. If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

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