The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 226

Around that time, rumors about Roman Dmitry spread throughout the continent.

“Have you heard the rumor?”

“What rumor?”

“The Valhalla Empire is holding its annual festival to honor the souls of warriors. They’ve invited Roman Dmitry to fight Barbossa, one of the twelve most famous swordsmen in the world. This shows the Valhalla Empire now sees Roman Dmitry as important. If he wins against Barbossa, he will be the first person not from an empire to become a top fighter in history.”

At first, the news was just stating the facts.

The news that Roman Dmitry would face Barbossa spread quickly. But soon, the rumors started to change.

They said Roman Dmitry hadn’t replied to the Valhalla Empire’s invitation.

This delay made people wonder about Roman Dmitry.

“He’s scared.”

“He has good reason to be. Roman Dmitry is fighting someone much stronger than anyone he has fought before. He beat Butler, Count Nicholas, and Commander Gustavo of the Knights, who are strong warriors known across the continent. But they were not as strong as Barbossa. Even if they all fought together, they couldn’t beat Barbossa. Roman Dmitry is talented, but Barbossa is too much for him right now.”

“I knew it. People are acting like Roman Dmitry is the best fighter ever, but there are much stronger people out there. Roman Dmitry is just a beginner.”

People were disappointed.

Roman Dmitry.

He became famous so quickly because he never avoided a fight.

From the battles in Homerus on, Roman Dmitry was always expected to lose. But he always surprised people by winning.

But this time, he refused to fight.

They knew who Barbossa was, but they were still disappointed that Roman Dmitry wasn’t acting like himself.

The rumors grew stronger.

People started making fun of Roman Dmitry.

Even though the festival was still far away, people had already decided that Roman Dmitry had run away.

News travels fast, and those rumors soon reached Roman Dmitry as well.

‘Valhalla is being very obvious.’

The rumors were clearly meant to pressure him.

It wasn’t happening naturally. Valhalla was making sure that either choice he made would benefit them.

If Roman Dmitry accepted the fight, they would show everyone Barbossa defeating him, which would make the empire look stronger and get revenge.

But if he refused, they would use the rumors to ruin his reputation.

People would make fun of Roman Dmitry for avoiding the fight, and he would become known as a coward just for not fighting.

Valhalla’s plan was very clever.

Even though the fight between Roman Dmitry and Barbossa was naturally unfair, they made it seem like Roman Dmitry had no choice but to accept.

Roman Dmitry didn’t like Valhalla’s plan.

Was it because they were taking control of the situation? Or because they were spreading rumors?

No.

He had always planned to accept Valhalla’s invitation.

But their certainty that Barbossa would win was annoying.

That evening, Kevin went to see Roman Dmitry.

“My Lord, can I ask why I am not going to Valhalla?”

For this trip to Valhalla, soldiers like Chris were on the list.

The others would stay in Dmitry, but Kevin was one of them.

Normally, Kevin wouldn’t question Roman Dmitry’s decisions.

He would do anything he was asked, but this felt different.

It felt like he wasn’t trusted.

The trip to Valhalla would be dangerous, and Roman Dmitry was showing that he didn’t need Kevin’s help.

Kevin had worked hard to prepare for the trip to Valhalla.

He kept going because he wanted to help Roman Dmitry. So, he was upset that he wasn’t chosen.

If Roman Dmitry said he didn’t trust him, he would accept it.

He knew that Chris was stronger. Even if he was angry and hurt, he wouldn’t go against his lord.

But he wanted to know why.

Roman Dmitry replied to Kevin’s question.

“This trip to Valhalla will be very dangerous. Chronos and Valhalla want to get revenge on me. This trip, where I am leaving Dmitry, is a perfect chance for them to attack me. They will definitely try something. I know they will try to hurt me, but I have to go to Valhalla.”

He wasn’t making excuses.

He didn’t care about his reputation, but Roman Dmitry had decided to go to Valhalla because he thought it was necessary.

“In future wars, we have to win even when it seems impossible. We have done well so far, but fighting a strong empire like Chronos is different. If our soldiers meet one of the twelve most famous swordsmen in the world on the battlefield, how will they react? They will be scared just by hearing the name, and that fear will affect the war. That’s why we need to set an example. We need to show that the Twelve Swords of the Continent are not unbeatable. We need to make them believe that someone in Dmitry, and in the Kingdom Alliance, can defeat them. I believe that is important.”

Barbossa.

He was the example they needed.

It wasn’t just about defeating one of the Twelve Swords and becoming famous. It was about giving the soldiers hope for future wars.

War cannot be won by one person alone.

Even if Roman Dmitry was as strong as a hundred men, the soldiers needed to fight well too for them to win.

And now, as he was leaving for Valhalla, Roman Dmitry had a good reason for leaving Kevin behind.

“The danger of this trip is not just for me. The fact that I am leaving Dmitry makes it seem like Dmitry is also in danger. That’s why I need someone I can trust to stay in Dmitry. Kevin, I believe you are the right person for that. If our enemies are planning something, you are the best person to handle it without me.”

He trusted him.

That was enough.

He believed that Kevin, not Chris, was the one who could handle things best.

His disappointment disappeared.

Kevin, who had looked sad, clenched his fist and looked determined, as if he had never been sad at all.

“Thank you for trusting me. I will do my best to protect Dmitry.”

He looked happy.

Kevin was a simple man.

A few days later, Roman Dmitry and his group headed towards Valhalla.

Since they couldn’t go directly to the capital through the warp gate, they arrived in Paulo, a city next to the border.

They had an invitation, so getting into Paulo should have been easy.

However, from the moment they entered Paulo, Roman Dmitry and his group felt that Valhalla was different from other countries.

“We will do a quick body search.”

The guards of Paulo read the invitation roughly and checked every part of their bodies, perhaps a little too thoroughly.

People before them were checked quickly, in about 3 minutes. But checking Roman Dmitry and his group, including their bags, took more than 30 minutes.

Of course, they didn’t find anything wrong during the search.

Their weapons were small and allowed, so the guards opened the way with a somewhat displeased look.

Even so, they spat out words in a quarrelsome tone until the end.

“Do not cause a disturbance inside. Paulo is not a city that welcomes outsiders.”

Paulo was just as the guards had said.

Inside Paulo, most people had a striking bronze skin, like they lived under a strong sun. Everywhere Roman Dmitry’s group went, these Valhalla people stared with frowns and hard eyes.

Shop owners who were calling out to people to buy things suddenly went silent and looked away when Roman Dmitry passed. People walking towards them on the street would abruptly turn around and walk the other way as soon as they saw him.

If they weren’t armed soldiers, their reaction would be different.

Instead of keeping their distance, they would bump shoulders and pick fights, which was the image of Valhalla known to the world.

“Just as the rumors say,” Chris said.

Before leaving for Valhalla, he had learned all about the country he would experience.

The Valhalla Empire was a very closed-off country.

Unlike the Cronos Empire, which grew quickly by accepting various races, Valhalla formed the foundation of its country in the closed environment of the southern jungle.

It was like they used to marry only within their families to keep their bloodline pure. They really kept people from other races away, except for their own Valhalla people.

Becoming an empire, a part of it was eased, but that did not mean that their essence had changed.

‘The people of Valhalla are known as the most difficult opponents on the continent. In a world where hostility is justified if you are not born in Valhalla, outsiders do not welcome entry here.’

There was such a saying.

If it weren’t for Valhalla’s closed culture, they might have surpassed the Cronos Empire.

Even though Valhalla stayed somewhat closed off, they became as powerful as the Cronos Empire.

The problem was that even knowing that fact, no one from the Valhalla Empire was sent to guide the guests.

Roman Dmitry and his party unpacked their luggage in the shabbiest lodging house in Paulo. The paint was peeling off the walls, and the air smelled of old food. The furniture looked like it would break if you sat on it too hard.

Other accommodations did not accept outsiders, so after wandering around in vain, they were finally able to find a place to rest only after saying they would pay extra.

Roman Dmitry came down to the lodging house’s restaurant and drank tea that smelled strange, like old leaves and dirt.

‘Apart from inviting me, it means that the Valhalla Empire cannot acknowledge my existence.’

Valhalla people have a strange way of thinking. They don’t respect you just because of your title or invitation. They only respect you if you prove yourself to them directly.

Valhalla did not intentionally send anyone. They wanted Roman Dmitry to show he was worthy to come to their capital for the festival, without any help from them.

It was fun. The cold gazes and neglectful reactions of the people were trials that all outsiders entering the Valhalla Empire experienced.

It was then that a drunkard drinking alcohol at a table a little further away looked at Roman Dmitry with a slightly flushed face.

“Hey, you’re ruining my drink.”

His party also looked very displeased. From the moment they first entered the lodging house, they kept looking at Roman Dmitry.

“I don’t know where you guys are from, but if you’re outsiders, go upstairs quietly and sleep. Don’t try to act like you belong in the space where Valhalla people eat and drink. I get angry just looking at guys like you. Your skin is so white that it shines, as if you haven’t suffered at all.”

The drunkard chuckled and stood in front of Roman Dmitry. There were soldiers behind him, including Chris, but he did not care about their intense look.

“Hey, can’t you hear me?”

He pushed his face closer. The drunkard was enraged by the sight of him drinking tea indifferently.

“This bastard keeps ignoring people. Get lost. If you keep sitting on your butt, I’ll grab you by the hair and send you up. How about it? Would that be okay?”

Valhalla. It was the situation they wanted.

Racial discrimination commonly experienced by people from other countries.

In response to Valhalla’s intention to observe his reaction, Roman Dmitry put down his teacup and said, “Chris.”

“Yes.”

“Chris, it’s time. Let’s make sure Valhalla knows we’re here.”

“What the hell are you talking about?!” the drunkard interrupted.

At that moment, Chris quickly snatched the drunkard by the scruff of his neck.

And then, as if to show the people, he slammed his face into the table.