The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 237

Chris did something that broke the rules.

It was a breach of etiquette, especially here in the Empire.

In front of the Emperor of Valhalla, Chris dared to show respect to Roman Dmitry first.

The air in the arena seemed to turn cold.

People who were cheering for Chris stopped at once. They looked at the Emperor and became very quiet.

Then, Roman Dmitry raised his hand.

Chris, accepting his loyalty, finally looked at the Emperor.

He did not kneel, nor did he offer his sword.

It was insolent.

The faces of the high-ranking nobles, seated in places of honor alongside the Emperor, turned crimson, but they could not utter a word before the Emperor spoke.

In Valhalla, the Emperor was all-powerful. No one could speak unless he allowed it.

“Your name is Chris, isn’t it?”

A slow voice finally broke the heavy silence. It was the Emperor.

Unlike the Emperor of Chronos who was known to be cruel, the Valhalla Emperor spoke in a slow, weak voice. This was surprising because Valhalla was known as a land of warriors.

He looked weak too. His clothes hung loose on his thin body, and dark circles made his eyes seem to sink into his face.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Chris replied.

The Emperor gave a small, strange smile.

“Impressive,” he said, his voice still slow. “It’s not easy for someone from another country to win here, especially against our warriors. I thought this would be a dull show, everyone just watching each other, but you made it exciting. Thank you.”

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me.”

The Emperor of Valhalla grinned.

There was a strange madness in his expression.

Even without showing any particular behavior, the Emperor of Valhalla exuded an atmosphere that made people tense.

“But tell me. Why did you show respect to Roman Dmitry first? I’m not going to punish you. I don’t want to force our Empire’s rules on people from other countries. I’m just curious. It’s not often that someone acts like you, even with me standing right here.”

It was frivolous behavior from the Emperor.

To the Emperor’s light, weightless voice, Chris replied.

“It’s because this whole event is for my lord. Just like your warriors fight for you, I fought for him. That’s all there is to it.”

“Hoo.”

The Emperor of Valhalla exclaimed.

In his gaze towards Chris, a small heat flared.

“Excellent skill at a young age, and even blind loyalty to your lord. A truly good talent. Valhalla has always been a country that treats talent well. People say that this country does not welcome ‘outsiders,’ but that’s only for outsiders without ability. To recruit talent like you, Valhalla can do anything. Money if you want money, honor if you want honor, women if you want women. For those with talent, Valhalla is truly like a paradise.”

His smile deepened.

He no longer questioned his attitude, but the story took a strange turn.

“How about it? If you promise to be loyal to me here, I will give you a reward that is better than anything Dmitry promised you.”

The Emperor of Valhalla’s statement completely crossed the line.

The sound of stifled groans was heard from all around.

In front of the leader of a nation, the statement that he would openly recruit someone else’s people was very rude. Chris’s actions seemed like nothing compared to this.

It was unexpected and sudden.

If Chris didn’t know what kind of person the Emperor of Valhalla was, he would have been embarrassed.

The Emperor of Valhalla was the 14th son of the previous emperor, who had 23 sons. He was a cruel figure who became emperor by killing all his brothers in a terrible fight for the throne.

On a dark day, a bloody storm raged in the palace. The Emperor of Valhalla killed off all the imperial family except for himself, holding a sword dripping with blood.

People said that the only rival to Chronos was Valhalla.

The reason why they could not accept Valhalla, even knowing that fact, was due to the Emperor of Valhalla’s mad rumors and their closed culture.

They only thought Chronos was the worst because he wanted to conquer the continent.

Some people thought Valhalla was better than Chronos, but both were bad choices.

Unlike Chronos, they did not often invade other countries, so many people who did not know about Valhalla thought of it as a good place.

But Valhalla was more extreme than expected.

In a world where the strong take everything, an abnormal figure was in charge.

“Chris, choose.”

Even so, people thought the Emperor of Valhalla’s offer was good.

His choice meant he would become more important.

Everyone knew that the Emperor of Valhalla was ruthless, but he rewarded abilities greatly.

People said it was a paradise for those with ability, and that was true.

The reason why talented people went to Valhalla was because of the good life that a few people had there.

The Emperor kept the conservative and progressive groups in the middle.

He sometimes helped both sides, but both groups were made of talented people.

Everyone was watching and was sure of Chris’s answer.

No matter what kind of country Valhalla was, there was no reason for someone chosen by the Emperor to refuse to join Valhalla.

If he accepted, paradise would begin.

Valhalla was a country where the winner took all.

But Chris’s answer was different.

“I’m sorry, but I will decline.”

“Why?”

“The current me, whom Your Majesty values, would not have grown as I am now without the teachings of my lord. Therefore, the value that Your Majesty desires lies not in me, but in my lord. I only manifest my presence as Dmitry’s sword, so I cannot accept Your Majesty’s offer.”

Chris valued loyalty above all else.

Chris listened to Valhalla’s offer, but he didn’t believe anything could make him stronger than Roman Dmitry.

Roman Dmitry was a leader who truly valued his people.

Dmitry’s people were treated so well, they trusted him completely. This loyalty was even stronger than any promise from Valhalla.

Chris’s answer was perfect. He politely refused Valhalla’s offer, making it clear his loyalty was to Roman Dmitry.

By praising his leader, Roman Dmitry, as he refused, Chris impressed the Emperor of Valhalla.

The Emperor found this amusing. He saw something interesting in Roman Dmitry, a leader who inspired such loyalty.

The Emperor felt a connection to Roman Dmitry. He understood Dmitry’s confidence in his subordinate’s loyalty. It was as if he would have expected the same from his own people.

“If that is your loyalty,” the Emperor boomed, a smile playing on his lips, “then I have no choice but to respect it! Let the eve games end here! And for the victor, Chris, I grant you riches beyond your wildest dreams!”

The Emperor’s voice echoed through the arena, promising a grand reward for the victor.

His voice, strong and generous, made the people of Valhalla forget their earlier tension. Cheers exploded from the crowd, filled with excitement.

This was Valhalla. A nation where strength and generosity were valued, where loyalty was respected, and where the Emperor’s word was law. The cheers continued, a wave of sound washing over the arena.

As the eve games ended,

Later that night, after everyone had gone back to their rooms to prepare for tomorrow’s festival,

*SMACK!* The sound echoed in the room as Baron Jonathan’s head whipped sideways.

Marquis Belphir’s face was red with rage. He glared at Baron Jonathan, his anger about to explode.

“You worthless fool!” Marquis Belphir roared. “You promised Gonzales would win easily, especially against non-Rankers! But what happened? A foreigner beat him! I looked like a fool in front of the Emperor, boasting I would handle Dmitry’s man!”

“I, I’m sorry… Ack!”

*SMACK!*

“Shut up.”

Earlier, in a meeting before the games, Belphir had been calm. But now, faced with failure, everything had changed.

The Emperor of Valhalla believed strongly in merit. He rewarded success and punished failure. This made Belphir’s failure even more dangerous.

Belphir, as the leader of this plan, knew he would be blamed.

“The old families are already celebrating Chris’s win,” Belphir hissed. “If we keep failing like this, the Emperor will listen to them, not us. We can’t let that happen! Valhalla must move forward, not stay stuck in the past like some backward jungle tribe.”

Valhalla was at a turning point. Would it embrace new ideas and grow stronger? Or would it cling to old ways and fall behind?

Belphir had been working hard to build an alliance with the Chronos Empire. But he knew the Emperor was unpredictable and could change his mind easily.

They needed to show the Emperor they were right. More failures would anger him and ruin everything.

Valhalla was unusual. The Emperor had total power, but he didn’t have a clear plan for the nation. He relied on his advisors to guide him.

Belphir kept hitting him, blow after blow. Finally, he stopped, breathing heavily. Baron Jonathan, bruised and terrified, quickly knelt before him.

Kneeling on the floor, Jonathan pleaded, his voice shaking with desperation.

“Marquis, please! Just one more chance,” Jonathan begged. “I’ll make sure Roman Dmitry fails, I promise! Anything! Just give me another chance!”

This was his last chance. If he lost Belphir’s favor, he was finished in Valhalla. Valhalla was a cruel place for those who failed.

Belphir paused, considering. Then, a cold smile touched his lips. “No,” he said slowly, “you don’t need to do anything.”

His voice was cold, sending a shiver down Jonathan’s spine. Belphir calmly wiped blood from his knuckles with a handkerchief. He remembered the report he had read earlier, a plan already in motion.

“Barbosa has already started his plan,” Belphir said, his voice low and dangerous. “We’ll rely on him now. But if Barbosa fails too…,” he paused, looking directly at Jonathan, “then I can’t save you. You will face the consequences.”

It was the day before the festival. And even now, there was still a chance for everything to change.

Back in his rooms,

Servants, remembering his preference for warm tea, brought him simple food and drinks.

But then, as one of the servants placed a tray of refreshments on the table, he leaned closer and spoke in a low, urgent voice.

“Do not eat anything.”

Roman Dmitry’s eyes snapped to the servant.

The other servants moved away to get more food, leaving them alone for a moment. The servant seized the opportunity and spoke quickly to Roman Dmitry.

“Barbosa is making his move,” the servant whispered urgently. “I don’t know his exact plan, but be careful of everything you consume. Barbosa’s enemies always fall victim to hidden traps. Don’t try to expose him publicly. Tomorrow is the festival. Even if this food is poisoned, Barbosa will twist it. He’ll say you’re a coward, afraid to compete, if you try to prove anything.”

He glanced around quickly. The other servants were still out of the room. He leaned in closer again.

“I admired Morales,” the servant continued quietly. “We are part of the same group, and I don’t want to see someone like you fall to Barbosa’s dirty tactics. I’m not asking you to trust me completely. But please, be careful in Valhalla. At least then you’ll have a fair chance against Barbosa.”

His voice was sincere, filled with genuine concern. This wasn’t about politics or power struggles. It was about respect and fairness.

Through Valhalla’s network of informants, and from Sanchez himself, he had learned about Roman Dmitry.

He knew Roman Dmitry was a man who deserved respect, no matter where he came from. He couldn’t stand the thought of such a man being defeated by unfair means.

He felt ashamed to be part of Valhalla if such injustice was allowed to happen.

So, he had acted. He had spoken to others who shared his sense of justice. Together, they had discovered Barbosa’s plan for today.

His part was done. He had warned Roman Dmitry, giving him a chance to fight fairly.

Hearing footsteps approaching, the servant quickly changed his expression, becoming just another polite servant again. He began to step back.

But then, his eyes widened in shock.

“……” The servant stared, speechless. Roman Dmitry was calmly drinking the tea. He raised the cup slightly, as if toasting the servant, a faint smile playing on his lips. It was a clear message: he would not be intimidated.