Chapter 229.2

“Don’t… mention it…” (Heine)

“It’s been a fun exchange program, right?” (Lay)

Lay extended his hand.

“Are you kidding me? I died so many times I lost track. The Demon King Academy folks are way too strong, every single one of them. Even the teachers are monsters. It’s so depressing.” Heine grumbled while fearfully holding out his hand.

Lay replied with a wry smile.

“But you know, as you are now, I don’t think I could steal your holy sword.” (Lay)

For a moment, Heine was puzzled.

“See you.” (Lay)

He let go of his hand and drew the magic circle for <Transition Gatom> with Misa.

“So, hey…” (Heine)

Before the two of them could teleport, Heine squeezed the words out of his mouth.

“How can I be… more like you…?” (Heine)

Lay smiled cheerfully.

“You know, the first time I fought a dragon…” he said while watching the projection of the Hero Academy’s battle on the blackboard.

“I wasn’t that brave, and I didn’t win either.” (Lay)

Heine looked at Lay in surprise.

“Two thousand years ago, after the Great War, I was betrayed and killed by the people I was supposed to protect. Even so, I wanted to believe that humanity wasn’t a lost cause.” Lay said to Heine in a serious tone.

“This academy was created two thousand years ago by the evil intentions of humanity. To wipe out demonkind, and cause another conflict two thousand years later. Jerga’s will still remains, and the evil he’s been nurturing in the academy for two thousand years is still nestled in Azesion. The royal palace has become corrupt to the point of trying to destroy its own kingdom. I thought maybe humanity was just condemned to always make stupid choices.” (Lay)

As the former Hero Kanon, Lay wanted to convey this to them.

The mistakes made by humanity.

“I wasn’t always the Hero. That was just what other people called me. I couldn’t stop them from calling me that, and I couldn’t stop what they did to me. However…” (Lay)

He looked at Heine, then at Redriano and Laos behind him.

“I found heroes in this era. People who took up their swords to protect. And so many of them to boot. You guys didn’t succumb to the malice of <Demon Punishment Jerga>.” (Lay)

Lay’s eyes were filled with tears.

“I’m glad I was able to protect you on that day. You guys are my salvation. Thank you.” (Lay)

When Lay held out his hand, Raos and then Ledriano shook it firmly.

“Neither this country that’s about to change nor this peaceful world need heroes from the past. But I want you guys to remember this. If a disaster that even you can’t overcome ever befalls Azesion, then the Hero Kanon will once again take up his holy sword, and strike that disaster down.” (Lay)

The three of them nodded.

“We will remember.” Ledriano said.

“We’ll do our best to make sure it doesn’t happen.” (Raos)

“I’ll believe in you.” (Lay)

Lay proudly gazed at the heroes he had nurtured as he spent his days protecting them.

Even if they were still unfledged right now, he believed that there bud-like feelings would bloom someday.

“Ah, right. If I could give you one piece of advice…” (Lay)

The heroes nodded, looking serious.

“You guys should try falling in love.” (Lay)

The heroes’ faces were filled with doubt.

“Surely you have at least someone you like, right?” (Lay)

After a pause…

“W… What do you even mean…?!” (Heine)

“Indeed, I cannot make sense of this…” (Ledriano)

“Man, the great Hero is such a joker…” (Raos)

The three of them looked at each other as if they were nervous.

For a moment, they glanced at Emilia on the podium.

“Anosh-kun…!” (Emilia)

She had just finished greeting the students of the Demon King Academy, and came running to me.

“What’s wrong?” (Anos)

“Ah, uh, nothing. It’s just… Have you seen those girls? I mean, the Demon King’s choir…? I heard you were good friends with them.” (Emilia)

“Ellen and the others apparently had official business to attend to, so they returned to Dilhade ahead of us.” (Anos)

Emilia looked a little dejected.

“I see… Nothing I can do about it, then…” (Emilia)

“What’s the matter?” (Anos)

“Well, there’s something I have to apologize to them for, but… It’s okay. Once things have calmed down here, I’ll head for Dilhade. And there are other people I’ll have to apologize to…” (Emilia)

Emilia stared at me.

“…Um… Anosh-kun…” (Emilia)

She opened her mouth, looking as if she was having trouble speaking.

“When that day comes… Can I come and see you too, Anosh-kun…?” (Emilia)

When I remained silent, she kept talking as if to explain herself.

“Ah! I mean, well, I thought I would come and see if you’re studying properly. Once I’ve taught someone, they become my student, so…” Emilia said with her head down.

“…I know you might find me too nagging for a teacher, but…” (Emilia)

“I’ll look forward to your visit.” (Anos)

When I said that, Emilia’s face suddenly lit up.

“I still have much to learn from you about canned food.” (Anos)

“In that case, I’ll prepare higher quality canned food next time.” (Emilia)

I nodded and pointed to the Bell of Thoughts on Emilia’s neck.

“If you ever need anything, speak into the bell on your neck. Should anything happen, it’ll let you contact me via <Thought Communication Leaks>.” (Anos)

“Oh no, I wouldn’t contact you that often…” (Emilia)

“Alright, then.” (Anos)

I drew the magic  circle for <Transition Gatom>.

“See you soon.” (Anos)

“Okay. Don’t forget to visit us when you come to Azesion.” (Emilia)

“I will.” (Anos)

My field of vision turned completely white, and I teleported away.

But just before I did…

“S-Say… That mood they had between them… and the way she acted with him… Ain’t they different from usual…?” (Raos)

“…It must be… our imagination… That boy is only six years old… So isn’t this simply how she behaves with children…?” (Ledriano)

“Haha…! Yeah, must be it. What else could it be…?” (Heine)

I heard the three heroes’ voices full of confusion.

Soon, my field of vision regained its colors.

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…!!!” (???)

A loud high-pitched scream echoed, and my body was hugged tightly by someone.

Who was none other than my mother.

“What happened? What happened, Anos-chan?! Why did you turn so small? Could it be that your job as the Demon King has become too difficult for you? It’s okay, Anos-chan. You’re still only six months old, after all. So it’s okay for you to stay at home and relax all you want without having to work!” (Izabella)

Misha and Sasha, who had teleported here first, were flinching at my mother’s liveliness.

I thought they would’ve gotten used to it by now, but they never thought that she would get even more excited just from me turning six.

“Oh?” (Izabella)

While my mother was holding me, she noticed and turned her gaze to a certain girl.

“…Anos-chan, did you make a new friend?” (Izabella)

“I am Arcana, a Selection God. I chose Anos.” Arcana announced in a calm voice.

In order to prove her identity, she was emitting the inhuman magic power of a god, but my mother, who didn’t possess Magic Eyes, couldn’t see any of that at all.

“I picked her up during our trip.” (Anos)

“Picked her up…? Look, Anos-chan, you shouldn’t pick up girls, okay?” my mother said while patting my head, as if scolding a child.

“She said she can’t go home while the Selection Trial is ongoing.” (Anos)

“Even if you say that, I don’t know what a Selection Trial is… Wait. Did you say you chose Anos-chan…?” (Izabella)

Arcana nodded.

“Anos is worthy of being a Proxy.” (Arcana)

“Proxy…?” (Izabella)

My mother was taken aback, then she turned pale.

“You mean like in a court trial?!” (Izabella)

“That’s an attorney.” Misha muttered, but my mother didn’t stop.

“Anos-chan, don’t tell me you got into some sort of trouble?!” (Izabella)

“It’s nothing. His former owner was such a horrible man that I took her away from him.” (Anos)

“An affair…?!” (Izabella)

My mother had a fearful expression on her face.

“I’ll explain in detail later. Please let her live here for a while.” (Anos)

“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?! You mean you want to live together…?!” (Izabella)

My mother bent backwards in shock.

“D-Don’t-Don’t tell me that… you turned back into your six-year-old self just to beg me that? Were you thinking that I would listen to you because you’re so adorable?! Even if it’s a request from you, Anos-chan, something like that is—” (Izabella)

“Please?” (Anos)

Mom felt a throb in her chest and clutched it.

“Leave it all to Mommy! Arcana-chan, everything is going to be fine! Let’s do our best to face that trial together! I know a lot of good proxies!” (Izabella)

“…There are more than one Proxy…?” (Arcana)

Arcana was confused.

Mom was probably talking about lawyers.

“…Could it be that this trial… is about winning custody…?” my mother asked fearfully.

“Whoever wins the Selection Trial gets all the rights.” (Arcana) (T/N: The joke here is that ‘parental custody’ and “divine rights” are both pronounced “shinken”)

Mom put me down on the floor and clenched her fists tightly to encourage Arcana.

“I-It’s going to be fine. We’re going to win the Selection Trial together. Because I’m on your side, Arcana-chan. That’s the sort of thing I can never forgive. I can’t leave a child in the custody of a horrible man!” (Izabella)

Mom was filled with righteous indignation.

“Kuhaha!” (Anos)

“What’s so funny?” Sasha asked with a sharp glare.

“Oh, nothing. I’m just happy to be back. This is what it feels like to be at home.” (Anos)

“You should correct these misunderstandings instead of getting used to them… What do we do about this…?” Sasha asked, looking astounded.

That being said, I had secured a home for Arcana.

There would’ve been no problem with letting her live beneath the Demon King’s castle, but keeping her as close as possible was the better option.

There was also the possibility that she would be targeted by the other Selected Eight or their Selection Gods.

“I think the Selection Trial is wrong. That’s why I want to put an end to it.” (Arcana)

Arcana was earnestly appealing to my mother.

“Oh yes, I know what you mean. I also think the current system in which mothers can’t see their children until the trial is over is wrong. We’ll get this trial over with, and pick yours up.” (Izabella)

However, Mom was as tough as always.

Even though Arcana was a god, it seemed to be difficult for her to clear up the misunderstanding.

“Anos!!” (Gusta)

The door to the workshop was thrown open, and my father appeared.

“I’ve heard the whole story. Listen, even if you’ve become the Demon King, you can’t just go and make a move on a married woman!” (Gusta)

Dad brought his face close to mine while crying tears of blood.

“Or you’re gonna make me jealous!” (Gusta)

“Kuha… Kuhahahaha…!” (Anos)

Good grief, seriously. To think they would mistake the Selection Trial for a divorce trial.

I found myself feeling more and more at home.