The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 287

As Chris walked away from Chloe’s house, his mind was full of questions.

“Could I sacrifice myself like Henderson?”

He thought of Sven, the shadow assassin, and the powerful 6-star swordsman who had attacked Dimitri.

Chris’s loyalty to Roman Dimitri was about getting stronger, not just blind faith. He wasn’t sure he could sacrifice himself like Henderson.

He thought of Chloe.

The sound of Chloe’s sobs followed him out of the room, a raw, heart-wrenching sound.

It wasn’t just simple sadness. It was mixed with a deep thankfulness for Roman Dimitri’s kindness, something she clearly wasn’t used to.

Chris knew grief. He was an orphan himself. But Chloe’s tears were different. They spoke of a life where even small kindnesses were rare treasures.

It struck Chris that for people like Chloe, just being treated with respect, like a person who mattered, was enough to bring them to tears.

He chuckled wryly. The idea of ‘blind loyalty’ for family was new to him, but he could see the appeal. Maybe family was a stronger bond than ambition.

“My lord was right. If you are a commander whose words can determine countless lives, you can clearly see the results of taking people’s lives seriously and providing clear rewards. Perhaps I, too, might sacrifice my life without hesitation if I experienced the same situation as Henderson, having seen Chloe’s reaction. To protect Roman Dimitri, the man people look up to. To protect the one I respect.”

He realised, with a start, that his loyalty was no longer just about strength. It was something more now.

In the distant future, if he became a commander, he wanted to be like Roman Dimitri.

He was still lost in these thoughts when he heard someone calling his name.

“K, Knight Chris! I think… I think there’s been a mistake! This box… it’s full of gold! I can’t possibly take this much! Please, you must have given me the wrong one!”

As she said, there were 300 gold coins in the box.

It was a fortune – enough money to change her life completely, to ensure she and her child would never want for anything. Chloe couldn’t help but rush out in shock after checking the contents of the box.

She couldn’t imagine that it was compensation for Henderson.

Even if he had made great contributions, a reward of 300 gold coins was excessive for a commoner.

Chris said,

“You are not mistaken.”

“Pardon?”

“No, Chloe, you’re not mistaken. Lord Dimitri wants you to have this. He said this is what you need to live a good life, a life others will envy. Henderson earned this for you.”

“And this is just the start, Chloe. Lord Dimitri has created something called ‘national merit.’ It means the country will look after you and your child, not just now, but in the future. Things like help with your child’s schooling, and making sure you are always taken care of.”

He smiled.

As Roman Dimitri’s representative, the fact that he could deliver these words filled him with pride.

“So please, I hope you live happily.”

Meanwhile, Hao Mun and his team were observing the unfolding events.

They had deliberately amplified rumors about positive news related to Roman Dimitri, but an order was issued not to politically exploit issues related to casualties.

Lucas calmly accepted the order.

He understood Roman Dimitri’s intentions, but he knew that it would cause an uproar anyway.

A few days later, as expected, Dimitri was in turmoil.

Initially, people doubted the rumors about compensation, but when they saw financial rewards being given, starting with Chloe, they reacted with astonishment.

The rumors had talked about generous compensation, but people expected silver coins, the usual currency for commoners. They were not prepared for what they saw.

“Oh my god.”

“Dimitri has allocated a whopping 1 million gold coins for the compensation budget!”

“Is that really true?! No, the Chronos Empire must have given them 500,000 gold coins in compensation, but they’re saying they’ll put out another 500,000 gold coins on top of that. No matter how wealthy Dimitri is with its iron ore industry, this is impossible. Not 10,000 gold coins, not 100,000 gold coins, but 1 million gold coins!”

There was chaos.

The amount of 1 million gold coins was unbelievable, but as people received compensation every day, they couldn’t help but believe it.

Word spread quickly. People talked to their neighbors, confirming the incredible news. Everyone was buzzing about Dimitri’s bold decision.

Moreover, the national merit system was also revealed.

“A system where the country takes responsibility for the families of those who have dedicated themselves to the country for the rest of their lives. I knew that Roman Dimitri doesn’t forget the hard work of those who have dedicated themselves to Dimitri, but I never thought he would think of something like this. This is a system that cannot be found anywhere else on the continent. Even the Chronos Empire, which boasts of being the best on the continent, doesn’t treat national heroes this well.”

“Did you all hear about Chloe? They recognized Henderson’s contribution this time, and not only registered him as a national hero but also paid him a compensation of 300 gold coins. This proves that the national merit system is not just lip service!”

Compensation did not solve the grief of the bereaved.

However, the guaranteed compensation secured the future of the families who had lost loved ones, so at least the bereaved families who had lost their breadwinners, like Chloe, could find a way to live.

The country was buzzing.

Some mourned, some praised Roman Dimitri, and some packed their bags, saying they would naturalize to Dimitri.

It was more than just praise for Dimitri. It was a wave of hope, a belief that even ordinary people could achieve greatness in Dimitri. They called it the ‘Henderson syndrome’.

A village in Dimitri.

Some of the young men who had devoted their lives to farming took up crude wooden swords and set out on the road.

“Father, Henderson was just like us, a farmer. But Lord Dimitri made him a hero! I can do it too! I’m going to Dimitri to join the army!”

“Mother! I will come back successful!”

Henderson became a success model for ordinary people.

People dreamed of becoming the second or third Henderson, creating a phenomenon where they all headed to Dimitri.

At that time, meetings were held in each country.

[Hector Kingdom]

Looking at the king, Edwin Hector said,

“Father, Dimitri’s compensation shows how they value their people. Remember Odelia? Dimitri is ruthless to enemies, but fiercely loyal to allies. If we can’t side with Chronos, Dimitri is our only choice.”

Edwin continued, reminding his father of Roman Dimitri’s firm words from their last meeting, about choosing sides.

The king nodded.

Hector’s king was him, but the practical figure leading the country was Edwin Hector.

His judgment.

He believed in Roman Dimitri’s actions that he had shown so far.

“I understand. Hector will now prepare for war with Chronos.”

[Redford Kingdom]

The conversation there was not a meeting.

A unilateral notice.

The King of Redford looked at his subjects and said,

“The Redford Kingdom owes a great debt to Roman Dimitri. If it weren’t for him, Redford would have been on the path to destruction, and the people of Redford would have become refugees like Odelia. Remember, Redford’s decision has nothing to do with the victory or defeat of the war. We will repay Dimitri’s favor, and the moment Dimitri decides to go to war, we will draw our swords for them!”

“For Redford!”

“Blessings to Dimitri!”

[Cairo Kingdom]

[Umberto Kingdom]

[Frank Kingdom]

The situation in the remaining kingdoms was similar.

The Cairo Kingdom was originally one with Dimitri, and the Drake family, who led the rebellion and ascended to the throne, announced that Umberto would follow Dimitri.

The Frank Kingdom was the only one with divided opinions. There was fear of Chronos, and internal factions.

There was much talk about the Chronos Empire’s destruction of the Kingdom of Odelia in one fell swoop, but in the end, the choice was Dimitri.

Chronos and Dimitri.

Chronos showed a betraying attitude even after forming an alliance, while Dimitri proved what they were pursuing with this compensation issue.

War compensation did not simply win over public sentiment.

Even the allied nations that were contemplating their relationship with Dimitri became an opportunity to join the new kingdom alliance.

Weeks turned into months. The continent was changing, reshaping itself in the aftermath of the war.

About fifteen days later, posters were put up in Dimitri.

[Dimitri Private Soldiers Recruitment]

A few years ago, Roman Dimitri publicly recruited private soldiers who would only follow his orders in order to leave for the southern front. This poster had similar content to that time.

Now that Dimitri was a nation, with its own army, some might have expected Roman Dimitri to rely solely on national forces. But Dimitri was different. Posters appeared across the Duchy, announcing a new recruitment – for Roman Dimitri’s *private* soldiers.

And.

There was also a special note.

[The qualifications of participants are strictly limited to those who are not currently affiliated with the lords of the Duchy of Dimitri. However, those who were originally affiliated with the Duchy of Dimitri may change their affiliation by passing the test.]

That day, Dimitri was in chaos.

Even in a situation where young men were causing a commotion, saying they would enlist in Dimitri due to the Henderson syndrome, the poster seeking Roman Dimitri’s private soldiers made people’s hearts boil.

One person said,

“The meaning of becoming Roman Dimitri’s private soldier is not simple. Kevin, Volkan, Pooky, etc. People who were clearly at a general level at first have grown into great swordsmen under Roman Dimitri’s teachings. This means that if you are a citizen of Dimitri, there is no reason to hesitate if you have a dream of becoming a swordsman in your heart. Soldiers belonging to the Dimitri army will also apply in large numbers, so there will probably be a huge number of people challenging this test.”

10,000 people?

20,000 people?

It was impossible to imagine how many people would apply.

Everyone in Dimitri was excited, imagining the possibilities. But they were thinking too small.

The news of Roman Dimitri’s private soldier recruitment didn’t just set Dimitri ablaze. It ignited a fire across the entire Salamander Continent.