The Heavenly Demon Can't Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 610

Creak.

Rumble.

The shelter door opened.

All eyes turned as the shelter door opened. Sunlight, weak but bright after the darkness, shone on a man standing there.

“Everyone, are you safe?”

The man was Kang Min-ho.

At his appearance, Kang Min-ah shook off her uncle’s hand and dashed forward.

“Daddy!”

* * *

Thud.

The communication was cut.

After telling everyone in the Empire about the victory, Roman Dmitry walked quickly out of the government building.

He stepped into a huge open space.

This place was once a grand plaza, but now it was damaged from war. Still, many people stood there in lines.

Whoosh.

Flags fluttered in the wind.

People in bright uniforms held up their country’s flags, showing them proudly to Roman Dmitry.

Flags from many countries waved in the air. The symbols on the flags might be new to some, but Roman Dmitry knew each country well.

Flags of Dmitry, Cairo, Hector, Umberto, and many other nations were there. All the countries of Salamander were gathered together.

So many people were there that it was hard to count them all. At the front of each group, he saw faces he knew.

‘…So much time has passed.’

He saw Dmitry’s flag. Rodwell Dmitry, his younger brother, stood there, now a middle-aged man. Even Loren Dmitry, once a young boy, looked older.

Chris, Kevin, Felix, and others stood beside them. Seeing each familiar face made his heart feel full.

Thinking about all the years that had passed, he knew how special this moment was.

Daniel Cairo was in the Cairo group. Edwin Hector was with the Hector group. Everyone he knew was here.

He swallowed his emotions.

The war was not completely finished, so he knew he couldn’t spend too much time on feelings right now.

However.

There was still something he had to say.

He walked forward. He saw the serious eyes of the people watching him. Roman Dmitry began to speak, looking at each group in turn.

“When I decided to leave Dmitry, I knew it was the right thing to do. Even if it was dangerous for me, I believed it was my duty as a leader. Now, seeing all of you here, I know I made the right choice.”

Everything had led to this moment. If he could go back in time, Roman Dmitry would make the same choice again.

Back then, he wasn’t strong enough, so he had to choose the best path for his people. But now things were different. Now he was ready for what the future held.

“Thank you all so much. I will never forget you for remembering me, and I will never forget this moment.”

Words spoken calmly.

At that moment.

“Waaaaaah!”

“Long live Emperor Roman Dmitry! Long live!”

The cheers erupted from everyone. The whole plaza filled with loud, happy shouts.

* * *

A few days later, the danger to the world was quickly over.

The dimensional rift closed. This stopped more monsters from coming through. The monsters that were left were not hard to defeat.

Dmitry’s soldiers helped defeat the remaining monsters. Then, they helped each country with their problems. Roman Dmitry was very busy for several days.

“The damage in Brazil is very severe. Aid is essential for recovery.”

“The President of the United States has conveyed his willingness to actively help. Although they have also suffered considerable damage, it seems that the big countries have finished discussing taking the lead.”

“Spain is….”

“Australia is….”

News reports from every country kept coming in.

Roman Dmitry was the Emperor of the Empire and the leader of the World Government.

He wanted to go back to Dmitry immediately, but he knew he couldn’t ignore his responsibilities just because of his own feelings.

Even though Dmitry was his home, people in the Empire and other countries had trusted him and fought in this war. He had to take care of them until everything was truly finished.

Time went by. When things became a little calmer, Roman Dmitry called for Felix.

“Is the preparation complete?”

“Yes, we have a way to travel back to Dmitry. And, like you told us, we are doing well with the plan to fix the dimensional rift. Because the ‘Absolute’ is gone, the rift is causing problems. Our plan is to join the two worlds together instead of just closing the rift. If we just leave the rift open, it could damage our world. But, for 30 years, we have been studying this. We think that sending magic power from the World Tree into the rift will help reduce the problems.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

“It’s nothing.”

30 years. Dmitry had changed a lot. They were not just waiting for Roman Dmitry to return. They were also working to fix the main problem that made him leave in the first place.

When he first heard this, he was so grateful he couldn’t even speak. He understood that as a leader, he wasn’t alone. People had found solutions he would never have thought of by himself.

Now.

It was time to leave for Dmitry.

Many feelings filled him. Felix saw that Roman Dmitry hesitated and asked carefully.

“Are you worried?”

“Worried… Yes, maybe worried is right. Lately, I’ve felt strange because of new feelings I’m having.”

He looked at Felix. Roman Dmitry smiled.

“But, it doesn’t feel so bad.”

He moved his feet.

Dmitry.

It was time to return home.

* * *

It was a great homecoming. When Roman Dmitry returned, the capital city of Dmitry was so crowded with people, you couldn’t even walk.

“Emperor Roman Dmitry! We missed you!”

“Congratulations on your safe return!”

“You must never leave this place again!”

30 years ago, when he won the war against the Demon World, some people were just children. Now, they were grown up, with their own children, and they cheered loudly.

They remembered Roman Dmitry as a hero. He had saved the world and then suddenly disappeared. They were so happy he was back, they cheered until they were hoarse.

Shouts came from everywhere. People cheered and yelled, trying to see Roman Dmitry clearly.

‘I’ve finally returned.’

Roman Dmitry moved through the crowd. He quickly waved to the people, then stopped to look around at Dmitry. It was very different from how he remembered it 30 years ago.

Before, Dmitry was known as a dull city. Because of the iron mines and blacksmiths, many workers walked the streets. The rich people in the city didn’t like seeing them.

But now it was different. It had become a city that looked like a true capital for the Dmitry Empire.

Old buildings were gone. New, beautiful buildings, made with magic, had been built. These new buildings mixed with the old blacksmith shops, which was a bit strange, but made Dmitry even more interesting.

It was very moving. Seeing how well Dmitry had grown from what he had started made his heart swell with emotion.

But he couldn’t admire the city for long. There was somewhere important he needed to go right away.

He knew Dmitry had changed a lot in 30 years. Suddenly, Roman Dmitry felt afraid.

30 years was a long time. His parents could be very old, or even gone.

At first, he thought about asking people in Dmitry about his parents. But then he decided to see for himself. He knew if he heard bad news, he would want to rush back to Dmitry right away.

He had a bad feeling. He felt worried. Roman Dmitry, who was usually calm even when facing the powerful Volfir, felt his emotions taking over.

He left the city of Dmitry. Soon, he was walking into a forest. It became quieter, and he heard a faint sound in the distance.

Clang-

Clang, clang-

It was the sound of hammering steel.

His heart beat faster. He walked quickly. He came out of the forest and saw a small house standing by itself.

He saw two people. An old man was still hammering steel strongly. A woman was sitting outside, drinking tea.

“…Father, Mother.”

He said, his voice full of feeling. The old people looked up. It was Romero Dmitry and Rihanna Dmitry. Their faces showed surprise and then joy.

Epilogue, Not the End but the Beginning (2)

Clink.

The teacup was placed on the table.

Roman Dmitry stared at his mother’s hands. They were wrinkled now, but he remembered them as beautiful and soft.

“It’s herbal tea. I drink it every day to help stay young. But you, our son, look exactly the same as you did 30 years ago!” His mother smiled.

He looked at her sitting across from him, picked up the teacup, and took a sip. It was warm. Knowing his mother and father were healthy, and that he was here with them again, filled Roman Dmitry with happiness.

After learning about everything that had happened in Dmitry, the thing he worried about most was his parents’ health.

30 years was a long time. They could have easily passed away. But his parents were still alive, just older. They even looked healthy.

Romero Dmitry said, “You’re right! Your mother always said you would come back. For 30 years, she made me eat so many healthy things every day! Look at me! People my age are usually sick in bed, but I have so much energy I’m back working at the smithy. It’s not like before, but I wanted to make you a good sword for when you returned.”

“Oh, honey. But I was right, wasn’t I? We’re healthy, and it’s so wonderful to see our son again!”

“That’s right, ha ha ha.” Hearing his parents say this, Roman Dmitry felt tears coming to his eyes.

In his past life as Baek Joong-hyuk, his parents were cold and forced him to follow family rules he hated.

But this life was different. They never gave up on him, even when people called him ‘Dmitry’s fool’. They always believed in him and supported him, no matter how dangerous his actions seemed.

His parents had made him who he was now.

That’s why, as soon as he arrived in Dmitry, Roman Dmitry put off all his work to see his parents first.

Roman Dmitry said.

“……Thank you.”

“Thank you. For what?”

“Just everything, thank you for everything.”

He felt embarrassed.

He wished he could speak gently, like other children talking to their parents. But his voice was still formal and stiff. He still wanted to show how thankful he was.

When he decided to leave Dmitry before, Roman Dmitry hadn’t even said goodbye to his parents. He felt bad about that.

As time went on, he kept thinking about that. He felt so lucky to be able to see his parents again now.

“Roman.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you for coming back, and I love you.”

“……Yes?” His eyes widened.

I love you.

It was a word that was not allowed in Roman Dmitry’s life.

Romero Dmitry scratched his head, trying to say the same thing. “People say you should say important words now, or you might miss your chance. I really wanted to tell you how much I loved you 30 years ago, but I didn’t. I regretted that so much. Please understand how I truly feel.”

For a moment, Roman Dmitry was overwhelmed with emotion. The word ‘love’. It was a word he had never heard in his life before.

He wanted to say ‘I love you’ back, but it was still hard for him. Seeing Roman Dmitry look so unsure, his parents laughed and went back to talking about normal things.

Meeting his parents again filled Roman Dmitry with warmth and happiness. Seeing them smile like this made him sure he had made the right choice to return as Dmitry. Suddenly, Roman Dmitry asked,

“How is Hans?”

His question made his parents’ happy faces change and become serious.

His father took a sip of his tea, then carefully put the teacup down. He said,

“Go to your room. You will understand about Hans when you are there.”

He opened the door.

The first feeling he had when he saw the familiar room was relief.

“Ah…”

Thirty years had passed.

The capital of Dmitry had changed a lot in that time, so he thought this room would have changed too. But it was exactly the same as before.

The room was very clean. It was clear someone cleaned it every day. As Roman Dmitry walked in, old memories of this room came back to him.

‘Hans. You are still the same.’

He felt relieved.

The items were neatly arranged on the desk, the furniture was in its place, and the bedding was perfect. Only Hans would know how to do that.

It was Hans’s touch.

Hans, who he cared about as much as his parents, was still cleaning his room every day, even after 30 years. He felt a surge of emotion at that warm thought.

Roman Dmitry wasn’t usually emotional, but he felt like he had changed since meeting the people of Dmitry.

This tidy room showed Hans’s heart.

Hans had been waiting and longing for him, and he had made sure that this room didn’t change for 30 years.

Hans was special to Roman Dmitry.

He had cared for Hans even before his parents, and he never thought of him as just a servant because of how much Hans cared for him. He wanted to see Hans soon.

When he lived with him, Hans’s constant nagging was annoying, but now he wanted to listen to it all day long.

Thump!

“Y-Your Majesty?!”

He heard something fall. He turned and saw a woman who looked to be in her mid-30s with a surprised look on her face.

Something was strange.

It was the cleaning tools the woman had dropped.

As soon as he saw them, Roman Dmitry’s heart started to race.

He felt worried.

His father’s words came back to him.

He would understand about Hans if he returned to his room.

Roman Dmitry asked with a cold expression,

“Who the hell are you?”

Hans was a very responsible person.

He never let others do the work he was in charge of. Later, when he had more work related to Roman Dmitry, he hired people to help, but he always cleaned the room himself.

Roman Dmitry liked that about Hans. Seeing how consistent Hans was, he couldn’t help but smile at his warm heart.

Therefore, he couldn’t help but be unfriendly.

The woman seemed a little pleased by Roman Dmitry’s cold question.

“Your Majesty. Don’t you remember me? I’m Hanna, Baron Hans’s granddaughter.”

“……Hanna?”

“Yes. My grandfather told me that you used to celebrate my birthday every year before you left Dmitry.”

He remembered.

Hans’s son was Harrison.

Harrison had a daughter, and Roman Dmitry personally threw a big party for Hans’s precious granddaughter.

It was an annual event. The nobles of Dmitry gave her gifts to get on Hans’s good side, and with Roman Dmitry’s help, his granddaughter was able to go to a good school.

But he couldn’t be happy at all.

The fact that his granddaughter was doing Hans’s job meant that Hans was not doing well.

Hanna said,

“I guess you’re wondering where my grandfather is. He insisted on cleaning Your Majesty’s room himself until three years ago. But as he got older and weaker, he passed everything on to me. As his granddaughter, I took over the family business.”

Ten years ago, Hanna graduated from the academy with good grades.

She had worked in several government jobs in the Dmitry Empire, but she wanted to take over her grandfather’s work.

Some people thought being a servant was not important.

But she knew that the people of Dmitry respected her grandfather as a servant. She wanted to take over his work and help the Dmitry family like him.

She believed Dmitry was a country worth serving.

The family had created a place where people could live peacefully, and Hanna learned her grandfather’s work to continue that.

She was happy with Roman Dmitry’s reaction.

She was happy that he remembered her grandfather, and happy that he was unfriendly because Hans wasn’t there.

Hanna said with a happy heart,

“I’ll take you to my grandfather. He will be very happy to see Your Majesty.”

They went to another place.

It was a simple room.

Hans was lying on the bed in that simple room, away from the capital.

“……Y-Your Majesty?”

“Don’t get up.”

Hans tried to lift his head.

His face was different than before.

His face was much thinner because he was weak. His eyes were blurry, and Roman Dmitry couldn’t even tell if Hans could see him clearly.

His heart ached. He realized that he had come too late, and that 30 years was a long time for a human.

“……Hans, are you alright?”

He sat next to him.

Hans looked at him warmly and mumbled with his toothless mouth.

“I’m fine. How have you been, Your Majesty? It must have been hard without someone to take care of you. I was very worried about you. You must be hungry from traveling so far? I’ll tell my granddaughter to make lunch right away. The dishes that you used to like. By the way, why do you look so bad? I always told you to take care of yourself!”

He kept talking and talking.

It was like he had so much to say.

“Your Majesty, do you remember? When I asked you to guide the oldest person in the village, I thought something had happened to you. But when I saw you defeat that bad group so easily, I knew that something special had happened to you, the person I had been serving.”

It was strange.

His title had changed.

Hans’s fading eyes were looking somewhere beyond his memories.

“People talked a lot about how you had changed since then. They were amazed that the eldest son of Dmitry had changed, but I knew from the beginning how good you were. When you were young, you always put food in my mouth when you ate something delicious. I still remember how sweet those snacks were.”

“Your Majesty. I’m so happy to see you. I couldn’t sleep because I was worried about you.”

“Young master. Is that you, young master?”

Hans’s words jumped between different times.

Roman Dmitry didn’t question him and listened quietly, holding Hans’s wrinkled hand.

Roman Dmitry remembered his life after he took over the body, but Hans had memories of him from when Roman Dmitry was a child.

And he had waited 30 years. He thought about Hans’s heart. Hans had cleaned his room every day, waiting for him. Hans was a sincere man who always put Roman Dmitry first.

He tried to hide his sadness.

He wanted to show only good things.

When Hans called him Your Majesty, he answered as the Emperor. When he called him Young Master, he answered as the Young Master.

Knock knock.

“Your Majesty, it’s getting late.”

The sun had set.

Hanna’s voice made Roman Dmitry keep his eyes on Hans.

“It’s alright. I will stay here today.”

“……Understood.”

Right now, only the moment in front of him was important.

He continued to listen to Hans’s words.

Thirty years. Hans had waited for 30 years after he disappeared. How much would Hans have wanted to say?

“Your Majesty. You are really too much. If you disappear without a word like that, what are the people left behind supposed to do?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t do that again.”

“I understand. I promise.”

Hans was still the same. His nagging never stopped, just like always.

Roman Dmitry watched Hans chattering away, never letting go of his warmly held hand.

Like that, all night long.

Until the sun set and rose again.

Roman Dmitry stayed by Hans’s side.

The sound of birds could be heard from outside the window.

The warm sunlight shone on Hans’s face, who had fallen asleep peacefully without worry for the first time in a long time.

He fell asleep with a faint smile.

Roman Dmitry lowered his head at that happy face.

A few days later, a funeral was held.

It was a place to remember the people who had died in the war, and Hans’s death.

People came to Dmitry early in the morning. They saw Roman Dmitry guarding the place before the funeral had even started.

Everyone understood what it meant when Roman Dmitry stood there. Hans was very special to him. So, important people spoke to Roman Dmitry carefully.

Daniel Cairo, the King of Cairo, stood next to Roman Dmitry.

“As the King of Cairo, I should say all lives are equally precious, but that’s not really true. You know I had a special person too. Count Nicholas. If that person, who supported a young king who was nothing, hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t be who I am now.”

He turned his head.

The eyes of a strong man, no longer a ‘young king’, were looking at Roman Dmitry.

“Baron Hans must have been happy. At least you were with him at the end.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

He was grateful.

Count Nicholas had died in the war with Chronos, so giving him this advice wouldn’t have been easy. But he found the courage for Roman Dmitry.

Daniel Cairo, who was now very powerful and respected in Cairo after 30 years, was strong enough to show his emotions.

Daniel Cairo stepped back.

This time, Flora Lawrence came closer.

“Are you alright?”

“……I’m alright.”

“Life is unpredictable. When I first met Emperor Roman Dmitry, I was just a young girl who didn’t know anything. Now I’m a middle-aged woman in my 50s, meeting Your Majesty again. Baron Hans was a really good person to me and to Your Majesty. It’s rare to find someone who can give you unconditional love.”

Lawrence and Dmitry were connected by marriage, and Flora Lawrence often met with Dmitry.

Sometimes it was a bit awkward.

She had been in a political marriage with Roman Dmitry, and then married his younger brother Rodwell Dmitry. Some people gossiped about her.

Every time, Hans took care of Flora Lawrence, showing everyone how special she was and that she deserved to be treated well.

Baron Hans always treated Flora Lawrence with special care, showing everyone how important she was.

If Hans was precious to Roman Dmitry, he was also a really good person to Flora Lawrence.

“I’m so happy that you’re back in your original position.”

Those were her last words.

Flora Lawrence also stepped back.

People took turns speaking to him.

The important people of Dmitry and the dignitaries of each country felt sorry for Roman Dmitry and tried to say something to help.

They also heard Roman Dmitry’s story. The story of how Roman Dmitry stayed by Hans’s side as soon as he returned to Dmitry, and how he watched over Baron Hans until the end.

The funeral was held.

Roman Dmitry tried to stay calm.

But then Roman Dmitry saw Hans’s family. They were trying not to cry, but they were very sad. Finally, they broke down and cried loudly. He heard them calling out Hans’s name as they wept.