0.0000001% Demon King - 0DK Chapter 37: The Holy Land (3) (Part 1)  

“What, what? The Demon King revealed his identity himself? What nonsense is that?”

“Brother, please be quiet.”

“Ah…”

Silenced by the quiet pressure, the rugged man closed his mouth.

“Hmm.”

Karos leaned against the wall, asking the slender man with serious eyes.

“Why do you think so?”

“It’s strange. The order knew about your identity and sent the Paladin Order directly. However, the Hero herself was surprised and panicked.”

The Hero didn’t know Karos’s identity. If she had, she wouldn’t have been confused and would have subdued Karos herself.

“Actually, there was no need for her to travel in the first place. ‘Demon King Karos.’ It’s a name I’ve never heard of. Either you’ve been living quietly like a dead mouse, or you’re a demon who hasn’t been the Demon King for long. Either way, you’re not a strong Demon King.”

Sinclair possesses the power to look down on sovereigns, capable of subduing and dragging them along as she pleases.

“But the Hero didn’t do that. Meaning, she didn’t know about you.”

The slender man took a deep breath. Karos’s lips quietly rose.

“And?”

“…It doesn’t seem like the Church of the Sun God figured it out either. Otherwise, they would have exposed your identity at their branch.”

“What about the possibility they found out later?”

“I doubt it. It’s unlikely that they discovered your identity, which even the Hero didn’t notice. And if they had, they wouldn’t have allowed you to reach the Holy Land without being apprehended beforehand.”

By now, the mercenaries were watching the slender man with eager eyes, except for the rugged man, who was still looking around, clueless.

The slender man frowned.

“Then there’s only one option. You revealed your identity on the way to the Holy Land, timing it so you’d be apprehended right before reaching it.”

“Hmm.”

Karos crossed his arms, pure admiration in his eyes.

“You’re smart.”

The response was as good as an affirmation, causing the slender man to sigh.

“Right… I was half convinced, but to think it was actually true. I’m surprised.”

“I’m surprised too. Why is someone like you among the lowest-ranked mercenaries?”

“…Don’t ask.”

The slender man glanced at the still clueless rugged man with a crumpled face.

“Let’s forget about my choices. Why did you reveal your identity? You could have escaped midway if you wanted to run.”

“There’s something I need to do.”

“You don’t seem like someone who wishes for death… Bringing us along must also be part of your plan.”

“Right.”

“And that reason is…?”

“Do you think I’d tell you?”

Karos laughed. The slender man nodded as if he expected as much.

“Well, I guess we just have to pray that your plan works out.”

“Pray to whom?”

“…Yeah, to whom indeed. To the Great Demon King, perhaps?”

The slender man laid down, speaking self-deprecatingly.

“Brother, let’s just sleep.”

“Ah, yeah.”

The rugged man scratched his head with an innocent expression.

**** ****

The moon was high in the sky, illuminating the room through the window frame.

‘It’s about time.’

Karos thought inside the prison. They were torturing him, trying to extract information about demons from him. Quite creative tortures, enough to horrify the watching mercenaries.

‘Pain is still pain.’

Though experience allowed him to endure, the pain never got easier to bear.

Creak.

The door opened, and a figure walked in. Karos, tired of it all, turned his gaze toward the newcomer.

“…”

And twisted his lips. The one who came was not the usual torturer.

“You came earlier than I thought. Three days.”

“…”

Golden hair shone brilliantly in the darkness. Karos greeted her.

“Hello, great and mighty Hero of the Sun God.”

Silence. Only the loud snores of the mercenaries filled the room. Sinclair looked down at Karos expressionlessly.

“You are the enemy of humanity.”

She said. Karos agreed.

“Right. I am your enemy, the enemy of humanity.”

That was unchanging. Sinclair was the Hero of the Sun God. No matter what she thought of him, their relationship was that of enemies.

Karos asked her.

“Did you speak with the Pope?”

“…”

Sinclair nodded. Karos asked again.

“What did he tell you?”

“They said, the mercenaries have been on your side from the beginning.”

“Expected as much.”

It wasn’t surprising, as Sinclair would have believed it if it were her past self.

“So what did you do? Did you believe them again, Sinclair? Did you trust others and not harbor any doubts?”

Karos taunted.

“If that’s the case, I have nothing more to say. Do as you wish.”

If that happened, Karos’s chances of dying were high, but he was serious. If there was no change by now, he didn’t want to bother with Sinclair any further. Sinclair closed her eyes.

“I went and saw.”

“Saw what?”

“The names of the mercenaries. Their hometowns. I went there. I heard about their people, their reputations, their lives. I realized.”

Sinclair opened her eyes. With unwavering resolve, she stated.

“I saw for myself what kind of people they are.”

The mercenaries were all ordinary men, boys, and husbands.

“Correct.”

Karos smiled joyfully.

“Believe only what you see with your own eyes. Doubt the words of others. Don’t trust. Always assume they lie. Otherwise, you’ll die without knowing anything.”

“Speaking from experience.”

“Something similar happened. It wasn’t me who experienced it.”

Karos muttered with disdain. A flicker of emotion crossed his face, but it quickly vanished.

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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