The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 197

Henry Albert.

How had his life changed so much?

It had started simply.

But then Roman Dmitry became famous. Everyone was talking about Dmitry’s victories. And because Henry was known as someone who had been at the Southern Front, people started to pay attention to him too. He was the person to ask about what was happening there.

It didn’t matter anymore that people used to call him useless, the “good-for-nothing” Albert.

Even the Cairo Royal Academy, a place he’d never dreamed of entering, asked him to give lectures! They wanted him to teach the children of important families. He could hardly believe it.

At that time.

He didn’t say much.

He simply spoke of what he had seen and heard—what had happened on the Southern Front, and how Roman Dmitry had defeated the Hector Kingdom. The students listening to the lecture couldn’t take their eyes off him throughout the entire session.

Life had transformed in a dizzying rush.

The children of important families recognized by the central government came to him after the lecture to ask for autographs. They looked up to Henry Albert as if he were a hero like Roman Dmitry.

They didn’t know the truth.

However, just the fact that he was present at a scene that others had not experienced changed the way they looked at Henry Albert.

A single lecture.

A huge reaction.

Lectures followed one after another.

The Cairo Royal Academy wanted him to stand on the podium regularly, and other places also wanted Henry Albert to show his face.

Naturally, there was a price to pay.

If he initially stood on the podium simply for the sake of honor, people began to offer large sums of money to buy Henry Albert’s time.

People in Cairo knew him now, even when he walked in the street. Henry used to be seen as useless. But now, he tried to act like the important person people thought he was.

He started studying because he worried that students might ask difficult questions during the lecture. He tried to use the little he knew to make it sound believable.

Thanks to that.

Wealth and fame followed.

The people of his family were proud of Henry Albert, and from some point on, he didn’t have to worry about money.

Dozens of gold for one lecture.

Some people say they give more than a hundred gold, so what worries could he possibly have?

“Ah, I’m happy.”

Barely half a year.

He obtained a luxurious mansion in Cairo.

It was a mansion purchased with the help of connections he had made while giving lectures, and the nobles living around him accepted Henry Albert as a really good neighbor.

An ideal life that he had imagined and smirked about at least once.

As Henry Albert sat on a luxurious sofa, feeling its comfort, he suddenly felt as if this comfort was just an illusion.

In fact, he was nothing.

He was living this life because he was lucky, but it wouldn’t be strange if he fell into the abyss tomorrow.

Happiness and unhappiness went together.

If he initially enjoyed his happy life, he started reaching for alcohol whenever anxiety arose.

Then one day.

Henry Albert faced a truly shocking moment.

“Mr. Albert, your lecture really moved me! We’re safe because of the heroes at the Southern Front, but people don’t appreciate it enough. You’ve opened my eyes. I want to help Cairo’s defense now, and I’m going to tell everyone how amazing your lectures are!”

A man in his late 60s.

With white hair and a neatly trimmed beard, he was one of the professors representing the Cairo Royal Academy.

He was a person who was recognized for his utmost value on the podium, and he looked at Henry Albert with respectful eyes.

It was shocking.

Ignorant children could do that.

But for someone who is old and has academic knowledge to look at him with such eyes.

At that moment.

Henry Albert suddenly understood something important about his life.

His lecture.

Is it really great content?

No.

Absolutely not.

The reason why people nod their heads, cheer at every word, and come to him saying they are his fans is entirely thanks to Roman Dmitry.

At first, he thought that using his fame was also his ability.

However, as the reaction towards him became more passionate as Roman Dmitry occupied the northeastern area, he had no choice but to admit that it was not the case.

The attention towards him.

It originated from Roman Dmitry.

The more he gained fame and made his name known, the more Henry Albert benefited as well.

‘Why are people so enthusiastic about me?’

He thought about it carefully.

There were many people on the Southern Front, but he couldn’t readily understand why they were cheering for his words and actions in particular.

The answer was simple.

Contact with Daniel Cairo.

In the situation of reporting the situation on the Southern Front, Henry Albert was in charge of conveying the facts on behalf of ‘Roman Dmitry.’

It’s not because he is an important person.

Except for Roman Dmitry, there was no other person with the status (noble) to face the King, and he showed his face without meaning to on the communication screen.

At that time.

People saw.

The fact that Henry Albert replaced Roman Dmitry’s voice.

Unlike other people who were active on the Southern Front, Henry Albert’s actions were clearly revealed.

‘People are seeing Roman Dmitry when they look at me. They don’t know what kind of person I am, but they regard me as a great person just because I replaced Roman Dmitry. It’s funny. When I was called the Albert family’s good-for-nothing, people looked down on me no matter what I did, but now they treat me completely differently even though I’m the same person. It’s not because they’re stupid. If even a professor at the Cairo Royal Academy looks up to me, this can be said to be a basic human feeling.’

A single fact.

It was enough to change his life.

He became convinced that he could live a great life, even if he wasn’t great himself.

‘Looking back on history, there have been heroes who have made a name for themselves in the world. How did they gain such fame? It’s not because they achieved great feats and went around telling everyone that they were the main characters, but because the people who could get something from his fame diligently spread the rumors. From now on, what I need to do to maintain wealth and fame is clear. To make Roman Dmitry’s achievements known to the world. If he remains a great figure like he is now, the single fact that I shared the joys and sorrows with him on the battlefield will make my life comfortable.’

Spreading rumors was not that difficult.

Roman Dmitry was constantly showing things that ordinary people could not achieve even in their lifetime.

Hector Kingdom.

Dmitry Alliance.

Roman Dmitry had become famous after winning the public fighting matches and playing a big part in ending the recent civil war. Rumors about his amazing deeds were spreading fast, and they turned out to be true. Someone just needed to tell people about him and make the excitement grow, and everyone started calling Roman Dmitry a hero.

Of course, Henry Albert was now known as the hero’s friend. He leaned back on a soft, velvet sofa, the red wine in his glass swirling gently. He took a sip, a pleased smile spreading across his face.

“Roman Dmitry,” he murmured, almost to himself. “People think we are best friends. We are not, not really. But if you keep being famous and making people admire you, then I will happily tell everyone how wonderful you are. It makes my life so much easier.”

The wine was rich and sweet, like honey. Everything around him – the big mansion, the soft sofa, the expensive wine – showed how well Henry Albert lived. And he liked it that way, even if some people used to call him a cheat.

Henry Albert’s plan was working perfectly. He had been telling everyone stories about Roman Dmitry, making him sound like a legend. Because of these rumors, everyone was watching Roman Dmitry closely.

The most exciting thing coming up was the ceremony where Dmitry would become its own principality, a new country. Roman Dmitry, the hero who saved Cairo (a famous city far away), was going to lead this new principality. People from all over the world wanted to be there. They had only heard stories about Roman Dmitry, but they were so amazing that people traveled for weeks just to see him. They thought, ‘Even if only *some* of the rumors are true, it will be worth the long trip!’

A few days before the big ceremony, Dmitry was packed with people. They came from everywhere! Jonathan, the knight in charge of the gates, watched the crowds arrive. He was amazed.

‘So many people from other countries have come to see Roman Dmitry,’ he thought. ‘And important people too! Yesterday, people from the Frank Kingdom arrived. Today, it’s representatives from three kingdoms in the Kingdom Alliance. This means they respect Dmitry now and want to be friends with us.’

Jonathan felt very proud. Just a few years ago, Dmitry was nothing special, just a small, strange place in the northeast. The rich nobles looked down on the Dmitry family because they were commoners. When Jonathan said he would join Dmitry, his friends were shocked and tried to stop him. They thought he was crazy. Being a strong swordsman like Jonathan meant he could have a great future anywhere. But now, everything was different. Dmitry had become important and respected. Jonathan’s old friends now contacted him, asking if there were any jobs in Dmitry.

‘It’s all because of Roman Dmitry,’ Jonathan realized. ‘He changed everything.’

Baron Romero was not particularly ambitious, so if Roman Dmitry had not shown everyone how strong he was, Dmitry might still be fighting with Barco. One man had changed everything. He changed how people felt, and the people of Dmitry were no longer ashamed of being commoners. He was a great man. The people who came to Dmitry all wanted to meet Roman Dmitry, and he had become the pride of Dmitry.

‘Jonathan, be careful,’ he told himself. ‘Don’t let all this excitement make you forget what’s important, especially now.’

He focused his mind. He was Dmitry’s protector. He had to be ready for anything unexpected. As he looked closely at the visitors, he saw someone he didn’t expect, and his eyes opened wide.

“…You?!”

The man standing before him did not look like he belonged at a celebration for Dmitry.

Just then, Baron Romero called his two sons to see him. ‘Before we announce Dmitry is a principality,’ he thought, ‘I need to decide who will be the next leader. If I don’t make it clear, there will be trouble later.’ He really didn’t want his sons fighting each other, maybe even killing each other for power. Some fathers let their sons compete and give everything to the winner. But Baron Romero hated that idea. He already knew who he wanted to choose. Rodwell Dmitry had worked hard for the family his whole life. But Baron Romero knew that if he chose Rodwell now, many people in the family would be very angry. So, he called this meeting. He didn’t call Loren, the youngest son, because Loren was not in the running to be the leader.

*Knock knock.*

‘Father, can we come in?’ Rodwell asked.

‘Come in,’ Baron Romero said. The door opened. Baron Romero looked serious as he saw his two sons standing there.

‘I called you here to decide who will lead the family after me,’ he began. ‘As you know, Dmitry will soon become a principality. This means more than just being stronger. It means we have bigger responsibilities now. Many people will depend on us. So, I am going to decide who will be the next leader of Dmitry, right here, right now.’

His voice was firm. He was speaking as the head of the Dmitry family. Baron Romero looked at Rodwell. He felt bad because he had to say something difficult to his son, the one who had lost an eye fighting for Dmitry. Rodwell deserved to be the leader. If Rodwell argued that his decision was unfair, Baron Romero was ready to ask the important family members to vote and make it fair. But then, Rodwell spoke.

‘Father,’ Rodwell said. ‘There’s something I want to say first.’

Baron Romero looked at him, confused. Rodwell’s face was calm.

‘I am giving up my chance to be the leader,’ Rodwell said. ‘I think Roman is better for the job than me.’

In the last few days, after the war and coming back to Dmitry, Rodwell had seen many things. He had seen how much people admired Roman. He had seen how Roman inspired everyone. He realized that being a leader was not just about being from the right family. It was about being someone people would follow and trust. And Roman Dmitry was that person. Rodwell thought, ‘I am not like Roman. I am not a hero. I am just… me. Roman can lead Dmitry to a great future. I can help him, but I shouldn’t be the one in charge.’