"Yes…?"
Raon’s gaze widened as he stared at Roseline.
"A preparation to become a hero? What are the implications of that right now?"
Following their heavy discussion regarding Hydra, her sudden inquiry about his readiness for heroism left him baffled, unable to grasp her intent.
-A hero?
Wrath also scowled, clearly finding the notion preposterous.
-This brat isn't a savior; he’s a swindler! He possesses a silver tongue that could trick the heavens and the earth if he had the chance!
He dismissed the idea, insisting Roseline was making a massive mistake.
"To be honest, I was already somewhat aware of the events that transpired before the acting patriarch spoke of them."
Roseline lowered her eyes slightly, her fingers tracing the rim of her teacup.
"Felling the titanic beast at the threshold of Eden with a single blow, infiltrating the crypt of phantoms to demand a blood debt for Birdnew Village, and returning with the respect and a formal apology from the Heavenly Demon—such feats are nothing short of heroic. Truly, no other descriptor fits; we can only define it as the work of a hero."
Her hands trembled minutely, as she remarked that such deeds could stir the soul of even a jaded elder like herself. It carried a blend of raw sincerity and practiced poise.
"I never harbored any desire to be hailed as a hero."
Raon shook his head with conviction.
"I simply performed the duties required of the acting patriarch of Zieghart."
This was the truth. Regardless of whether he faced Eden or the Heavenly Demon, his focus remained on the blood debt of Birdnew Village, ensuring the souls of the slaughtered could find peace.
'Naturally, I also calculated the potential gains.'
While blood must be met with blood, he also recognized the value of acquiring intelligence for future conflicts—details on Eden’s high-ranking officials and the secret techniques of the Heavenly Demon. Since he had secured all of that before his return, the expedition had indeed been highly profitable.
'But...'
The mantle of a hero was never part of his plan.
He had weighed the scales of vengeance against utility, but the idea of personal glory or public adulation was still a difficult concept for him to digest.
-The equilibrium of gain and retribution...
Wrath narrowed his eyes, echoing Raon's internal monologue.
-I've said it before, but you truly possess the temperament of a monarch!
He smacked his lips in a display of envy.
-Abandon this place and come to the Devildom with me immediately! The entire realm would celebrate the rise of a new demon lord...
'Quiet.'
Raon brushed aside the eager Wrath and turned his attention back to Roseline.
"Of course you feel that way."
Roseline nodded, accepting his response with a calm demeanor.
"The acting patriarch surely journeyed here with only Birdnew Village in mind when he breached the gateway to Eden. However, that is exactly how heroes are forged."
She offered a soft smile, as if his lack of ambition made the result even more poignant.
"Had you been motivated by greed or a thirst for renown, these results would have eluded you. The Heavenly Demon understands the human heart better than anyone."
Roseline’s weathered lips curved slightly, suggesting a deep familiarity with the lord of Eden.
"Are you personally acquainted with the Heavenly Demon?"
Raon looked at her, his curiosity piqued.
"No. Not intimately. We only shared a passing dialogue."
Roseline shook her head slowly.
"Having reached this age and observed countless individuals, I trust my instinct for reading souls. That man, the Heavenly Demon, is..."
She tapped her cup, causing the green tea to ripple violently as if on the verge of overflowing.
"The most chilling entity I have ever encountered. Yet, what is truly terrifying isn't his peerless combat prowess, but his conviction—as sharp and unrelenting as a blade."
Roseline stared into her tea, her eyes flickering as if the memory still brought a chill to her spine.
"The Heavenly Demon is a man of supreme arrogance who views the entire world as beneath him. The fact that you earned the respect of a man who has never once faltered in his objectives speaks volumes of your own stature."
She smiled faintly, noting that until now, only Glenn Zieghart had stood as an equal in the Heavenly Demon's eyes.
"I intend to broadcast these events to the world. It will serve as a massive boon to the spirits of the Five Kings alliance in the inevitable war ahead."
Roseline sighed, suggesting that such a legendary tale shouldn't be kept in the shadows.
"Mmm..."
Raon rubbed his chin, shaking his head in protest.
"I recognize the Black Market leader's goals, but this is quite mortifying. I’d prefer it if we just let the matter rest..."
He didn't think it would actually boost morale, and the thought of his fame spreading made him uncomfortable, prompting a strained smile.
"Ah, my apologies."
Roseline gave a mischievous smile and bowed her head slightly.
"I didn't anticipate the acting patriarch would decline, so I’ve already set the rumors in motion. And..."
Her smile widened, her expression showing absolutely no remorse.
"I might have added a bit of theatrical flair."
"H-hey, have you lot heard the word?"
A middle-aged man, his shirt soaked with perspiration, called out loudly as he took a seat at a table outside the tavern.
"Eh? What's the news now?"
"What could possibly be new at this hour? He's just making noise because he’s late and wants to distract us."
A bald man and another with a long, drooping mustache shook their heads, clearly used to his antics.
"No, I'm serious this time!"
The man with the sweaty back slammed his fist onto the wobbly table.
"Fine, fine. Out with it. What happened?"
The bald man sighed, signaling he was willing to listen for a moment.
"Forget it! I told you he’s just talking nonsense!"
The man with the mustache took a long swig of his ale, appearing totally indifferent.
"Just a moment ago, right here in Cameloon..."
The sweaty man swallowed hard, his eyes wide with excitement.
"Sword Emperor Raon Zieghart and the Heavenly Demon went head-to-head!"
The moment the names Sword Emperor and Heavenly Demon were uttered, the entire street fell silent. The boisterous noise from inside the tavern vanished instantly. It was as if the entire district had been transformed into a quiet hall of study.
"Th-the Sword Emperor and the Heavenly Demon?"
Despite his earlier dismissal, the man with the mustache sat bolt upright, his jaw trembling.
"But why were those two even here?"
The bald man gestured frantically, urging the storyteller to continue.
"The Sword Emperor came seeking vengeance. Birdnew Village, under Zieghart’s protection, was butchered by the Wraiths of Eden. He came to Cameloon to collect the debt in blood."
The sweaty man laid out the narrative with total confidence, acting as if he had been a witness.
"Ah, I remember hearing about the tragedy at Birdnew Village..."
The man with the mustache sighed, a look of genuine pity crossing his face.
"But why Cameloon? How did he track the Heavenly Demon here?"
The bald man frowned, still confused about the logistics.
"There is a portal hidden on Cameloon’s western ramparts that leads to the rear entrance of Eden. The Sword Emperor captured a high-ranking Eden officer and forced open the rift. Out came a monstrous lion as tall as a mountain."
The sweaty man’s breathing grew heavy as he built the tension. Since he was used to hawking goods on the street, he had a natural talent for captivating an audience; everyone nearby held their breath.
"The Sword Emperor cleaved that beast—which was as massive as a fortress wall—in a single strike! He charged into Eden and cut down countless phantoms to avenge Birdnew Village. I heard Eden’s stronghold was nearly leveled. When even the Heavenly Demon’s top disciple, who was ruling in place of The Fallen, was crushed, the Heavenly Demon himself finally appeared!"
The man wiped sweat from his brow, his intensity peaking as he invoked the dark lord's name.
"The Sword Emperor didn't flinch, even when facing the man who sits at the peak of the world. He raised his blade and roared for the justice of Birdnew Village, and the Heavenly Demon met him with a clenched fist. It was a clash of gods beyond the reach of mortals!"
He gulped, as if the memory of the phantom battle overwhelmed him.
"And then! What happened next?"
"Surely the Heavenly Demon triumphed? He is the strongest on the continent!"
The mustache man waved his hands in a frenzy, and the bald man bit his lip, fearing the worst.
"Wrong! The Sword Emperor stood perfectly still, but the Heavenly Demon was covered in gashes so deep you could see the bone! Blood flowed like a river! Sword Emperor Raon Zieghart literally hammered the blood debt out of the Heavenly Demon!"
The storyteller nodded vigorously, his voice shaking as he spoke Raon's name. It was technically true that Raon was unhurt and the Heavenly Demon was gravely wounded, but the context was entirely skewed. It wasn't a total fabrication, yet it was far from the reality.
"The Heavenly Demon eventually bowed his head, apologized for the tragedy at Birdnew Village, and even offered a tribute to the Sword Emperor. In the end, the Heavenly Demon conceded! Honestly, you could say he was utterly defeated!"
The sweaty man gripped the table, his knuckles white as he described the "legendary" struggle.
"According to a source I have in the Black Market, the Heavenly Demon is so badly mangled that he likely won't recover his full strength before the war begins."
He added a layer of legitimacy by citing his supposed Black Market connections.
"Meanwhile, they say the Sword Emperor and his Light Wind Palace warriors didn't suffer a single scratch. They’re actually staying at the Cameloon Central Hotel as we speak."
He finished by revealing their current location to the gaping crowd.
"I-I had no idea the Sword Emperor had reached such heights..."
"That’s insane! Should he even be called the Sword Emperor? He’s basically a Sword God now!"
"We already have Glenn Zieghart, his grandfather, for that title."
"What moves me most is that he traveled all this way just to avenge a small village, even if it meant fighting the Heavenly Demon. I want to move to Zieghart lands immediately."
"Me too. It means they’ll protect their own no matter the cost, and they'll never let a wrong go unpunished."
"E-either way, the Sword Emperor drove Eden out of our city! We owe him our thanks!"
"Sword Emperor! Sword Emperor! Sword Emperor!"
The surrounding crowd hoisted their mugs into the air, chanting his title in unison.
This scene was being repeated throughout the city.
The same narrative was spreading through every corner of Cameloon—in high-end tea houses where the elite gathered, in early-morning eateries for laborers, and within the dark corners of gambling halls and auction houses.
"Raon Zieghart! Raon Zieghart!"
"Sword Emperor! Sword Emperor!"
Thanks to the network of Black Market operatives following Roseline’s orders, Raon’s name was being thundered across the entire city.
"Ugh..."
Raon clutched his forehead as the echoes of his name reached him from various parts of the city.
'Wh-what on earth is this!'
He had felt a sense of dread when Roseline mentioned "touching up" the story, and his instincts had been dead on. In the version she had released, he had become a warrior capable of overpowering the Heavenly Demon.
'Technically, it isn't a total lie, but...'
It was a fact that he was unharmed and the Heavenly Demon had retreated with life-threatening injuries.
However, since he wasn't the one who had actually inflicted those wounds, hearing the rumors made him want to hide his face in shame.
'How am I supposed to handle this?'
Raon let out a heavy sigh and glanced at Wrath.
-I... I am so jealous...
Contrary to Raon’s distress, Wrath was smacking his lips, clearly envious of the way Raon’s name was being celebrated in the streets.
'Good grief...'
He sighed again at the sight of the useless demon.
-No, it is a magnificent thing when the masses chant your name! Why are you complaining!
Wrath scowled, unable to fathom Raon's reluctance.
'It's a fabrication.'
Raon grimaced.
'If it were earned, I could live with it, but there’s too much fiction woven in...'
-Hmph! Then simply make the fiction a reality.
Wrath wrinkled his nose, looking at Raon with disdain.
-Honestly, you are such a petty little man!
Forgotten was the praise about him being demon king material; Wrath simply clicked his tongue in annoyance.
-Observe me. I am always radiating confidence...
As Wrath was grandstanding and gesturing for Raon to watch him, a series of notifications appeared.
[Your legendary feat is echoing across the continent.]
[Your soul's resonance and your fame are increasing at a rapid pace.]
[All attributes...]
[New Title...]
Because the narrative Roseline crafted was spreading like wildfire, a flood of rewards suddenly materialized.
-Wait...
Since this was an unprecedented occurrence, Wrath’s mouth hung open in shock.
'I suppose things do work out when you take a leap.'
Raon’s lips curled into a slight smile as he reviewed the rewards.
'Maybe I should take your advice and have some confidence. I'll accept this bounty gladly!'
With a renewed sense of purpose, he tapped the glowing message before him.
-Y-you absolute...!
Wrath raised a tiny, chubby fist and let out a scream.
-How can you get rewards just for people gossiping! If it's that easy, give some to me as well!
'What, a title like "The Bullied Demon King"?'
-Shut your mouth!
