Reincarnated Devil's Strongest Hero Training Plan ~The baby he picked up has grown up so well that his father is confused~ - Chapter 105

Reincarnated Devil’s Strongest Hero Training Plan ~The baby he picked up has grown up so well that his father is confused~

Chapter 105   In a corner of a certain tavern ~Labyrinth Kingdom Edition~

In a certain tavern in the royal capital of the Labyrinth Kingdom of Garard, a giant man with striking red hair slicked back and wearing sunglasses reminiscent of a little girl sat with an imposing aura at a table.

The people around him were intimidated by his overwhelming presence, keeping a slight distance while they drank and ate. Consequently, this unusually noticeable man ended up drinking alone. At some point, however, a man appeared.

The newcomer was a slender man with black hair and black eyes, looking far from someone who would match the imposing giant. Yet, he approached without hesitation and spoke:

“Hey. Mind if I sit next to you?”

“Sure, feel free. When you enter a village, adopt the local customs. Since I don’t own this land, I have no right to complain.”

“I see. You’re quite an interesting guy, aren’t you?”

With these familiar words, the red-haired giant and the black-haired slender man reunited.

Before entering the tavern, the black-haired man had been contemplating his son’s future. Noticing the red-haired giant, he struck up a conversation, leading to a certain promise between them.

This reunion would later save the heart of a certain hero, but that story is still to come.

◇

The night my son Ars accomplished yet another remarkable feat.

On this day, Ars had defeated one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King’s army, who had attacked the Kingdom of Garard for what seemed to me a ridiculously trivial reason. I had just finished recording him receiving various rewards from the king. With my video editing for the day complete, I was looking for a tavern.

This adventure was truly spectacular. Ars, growing day by day, had finally reached a level where he could defeat the Heavenly Kings one-on-one. The saint girl and Sword Saint Ein, who had followed my son, had also gained considerable strength during the journey.

And when that little devil replicated herself over a thousand times, I was utterly astonished. She might not have intended it, but even a lower demon would never have thought to use a replication magic circle to expand its forces.

When the clone army of little devils emerged, I was both incredulous and laughing hysterically as they effectively used them to corner the Heavenly King. This is definitely a rare incident I must share with Elsa.

On another note, while the kids are doing fine, the adults, Gaius and Amanda, seemed to have some reflections about this incident. Especially Gaius, who now doubted if he should continue accompanying Ars, his disciple who had completely surpassed him in power. He feared he might become a burden on the journey.

I believe he’s half right and half wrong. Although Ars is nearly an adult, having experienced adults around to guide him is invaluable, and they are far from being a burden.

However, in terms of combat power, the adults’ abilities can no longer keep up with the children’s growth and are already significantly outmatched. This is indeed a difficult problem.

But I also think that Gaius deserves a chance to pursue his own happiness. He has imparted enough experience and knowledge to his disciple and shown what it means to be a master.

Therefore, from this point on, I think Gaius could walk the path of life with Amanda, a woman perfectly suited for him. Of course, the decision ultimately lies with Gaius himself.

What I can do, however, is if during their journey to the Church they happen to stop by our base in the southern continent, I will wholeheartedly celebrate their relationship. I will gently support the back of my incredibly trustworthy and dedicated subordinate, who is almost too good to be true for someone like me.

That said, whether Ars and his group will stop by the base is uncertain, so this is something for the future.

Reflecting on the various events of the day, I wandered aimlessly in search of a tavern for about ten minutes. Suddenly, I sensed an unusually strong presence and peeked into a run-down tavern. There, I spotted a somewhat familiar man lingering in the tavern of this country.

“Fuuu~”

“……..”

“Hmmm”

“……..”

“Indeed, but still…”

Ugh, annoying… What’s with this guy? Does he want me to listen to his troubles? This interaction feels familiar, like something we did years ago in a tavern in the Church.

Though he now has an imposing aura, making him appear respectable, it seems his roundabout manner indicates he wants to discuss his worries.

Given that our meeting here feels like fate, I wouldn’t mind listening to the gripes of a drinking buddy. So, I guess I’ll indulge him in a conversation.

“What’s wrong, old man? Got something on your mind? If you don’t mind talking to me, I’ll listen. And hey, we meet again.”

“Oh, it’s you from that time…!”

What the heck, he didn’t recognize me? Here I was, feeling all pumped up about meeting an old friend, and he’s so indifferent.

But well, now that he’s noticed, I guess it’s fine.

“So, what’s your trouble?”

“Well, you see… I recently found my daughter, who ran away from home a few years ago, and I was relieved to confirm she’s living happily. However, it seems she’s romantically involved with someone who is a significant enemy of ours.”

Huh?

Wasn’t this guy’s kid a son?

When did his son turn into a daughter? Maybe it’s another runaway… I don’t know.

But that’s not important. What’s important now is that this guy’s kid has hooked up with someone they’re supposed to be enemies with.

I don’t know who this drunken old man is aligned with or who he’s against, but that sounds like a tough situation. I feel for you, old man.

My son, Ars, is also romantically involved with Hades, the crown princess of the demon realm. He’s going through a lot because of that. They seem happy, but I’m sure they’ll have to face situations where they’ll need to understand each other’s positions and bridge the gap between them.

It’s tough, but it’s the path they’ve chosen. I believe Ars will stick to his convictions until the end.

And so, the old man’s story continued.

“Of course, even though we’re enemies, my daughter chose him of her own will. I trust her judgment and, honestly, the boy is quite impressive. As a parent, I don’t intend to oppose it… but my subordinates don’t see it that way.”

“What?”

So, it seems that some organization led by this old man is against his daughter’s marriage, causing internal strife. Or, if not outright opposition, they’re worried it might lead to future discord. He seems troubled, trying to figure out how to alleviate these concerns for his daughter’s future.

At the same time, he understands his subordinates’ perspectives, caught between his love for his daughter and his responsibilities as a leader.

Hmm. This is a tough issue.

But…

“What are you getting so weak for, old man? Get a grip!”

“Uh…”

“As the leader of your organization, if you don’t believe in your own path, who will?”

“W-what…?”

Yes, what indeed. I’m just a lower-level demon enjoying a slow life without any experience running an organization, but I can say this for sure. The noble convictions of this man, trying to balance his love for his daughter and his duty to his subordinates, shouldn’t be faltering here.

“Let me ask you this. Do you really think that your conviction, which even a complete outsider like me can sense, isn’t reaching your daughter or your subordinates? No, that’s not possible. Look at the people who’ve followed you until now. Isn’t it because you’re a great leader who upholds responsibility and conviction that your wife, daughter, and subordinates respect you? If you don’t believe in yourself, who will!?”

“What… did you say…?”

The old man widened his eyes in surprise at my forceful encouragement, his mouth agape in shock. Yes, that’s the spirit, old man. Even if your daughter’s partner is from an enemy organization, so what?

Everything this great man has achieved, his well-thought-out conclusions and convictions, can’t be toppled by such minor adversity. Have more confidence, old man!

Your path is not mistaken!

Convinced of this, I smirked and pressed further.

“It looks like you’ve realized something, huh?”

“Oh… ohhh… What a misunderstanding I’ve had…!! Everything, everything you said is true!!!”

Yeah, that’s right. Exactly as I said. Maybe the alcohol was making me a bit more intense, but it was probably for the best.

So I thought, this old man’s convictions will surely be fulfilled. Despite the supposed adversarial relationship, his daughter and her partner likely have a bright future ahead, and he will be able to fulfill his responsibilities as a leader. That’s the kind of outcome I foresee.

“Haha, alright, if you understand, then it’s all good. You really made me worry there. Well then, now that we’ve patched things up, let’s have a toast, shall we?”

“Indeed! There’s nothing like a drink after solving a problem! And, I must say, it’s a shame that someone of your caliber isn’t one of our country’s vassals! How about it, I’ll ask once more, do you have any intention of serving under me?”

“Hahaha! Cut it out, old man. You’re just a regular old drunkard!”

“Hahaha! Indeed, I was just that a moment ago! Very well then, let’s drink to success in the future!”

— Cheers!

And, well…

“Well, if things ever get really bad, just give me a call, old man. I’ll come to your aid, no matter the situation, just once.”

“Hehehe… That’s reassuring. To have someone like you say that to me is an unexpected stroke of luck.”

Leave it to me.

Even as a low-ranking demon bound by contracts and agreements, lying to someone I like is absolutely out of the question.

Count on it.