My Goddess is Good at Pretending-Chapter 698: Trust Issue

The hero party’s return journey to the capital city was a stark contrast to the perilous expedition that had brought them to the sealed demon city. The air seemed so fresh, their journey was smooth, and there was no oppressive darkness or demon interception.

Villages and towns they passed greeted them with cheers and tears of joy, celebrating the heroes who had liberated them from terror.

The return journey only took them two days. By the time the hero expedition party reached the gates of the capital city, a massive crowd had gathered to welcome them. Tens of thousands of citizens lined the roadsides. Their cheers echoed across the city. Flower petals rained down from balconies as the hero expedition party marched triumphantly through the streets.

The White Hero led the procession, carrying himself humbly, though his heart was swelled with pride. His comrades followed closely behind.

The Emperor of Stevia, Emperor Reginald, stood atop the grand balcony of the palace. He raised his arms in a gesture of gratitude. "Today, we honor our heroes!"

"They have brought peace to our land and driven away the shadow of despair. Let this day be remembered for generations to come!" Reginald proclaimed as the heroes arrived at the palace’s entrance gate.

Everyone, including the nobles, cheered with joy and gratitude. They swarmed the heroes to celebrate humanity’s victory, and today became a special day that would always be remembered as National Hero Day.

The heroes had fulfilled their mission, delivering the decisive blow to exterminate the looming threat that would annihilate humanity sooner or later. The scars would remain, but hope had been reignited in everyone’s hearts.

As the city celebrated until midnight, the summoned heroes gathered privately in the palace’s garden. Amidst the laughter and revelry, they shared quiet moments of reflection, especially Mashiro as he had just spoken to the Glorious God to inquire about the promised ’reward’.

"We did it!" Harriet said, tinged with disbelief. "But it feels... heavy. So many lives lost."

As Mashiro joined his fellow comrades, he sat down and sighed.

"So, how is it?" Richard took a deep breath, preparing himself for the worst-case scenario as Mashior’s facial expression looked rather lost and gloomy.

Mashiro nodded solemnly. "Victory always comes with a cost. But we must honor their sacrifices as everything comes with a risk. Imperial Princess Genevieve and the imperial family’s ancestors aided me to speak with the Glorious God. He said we could collect his promised rewards from Sir Galashiels in three days."

"Then, what about his promise to send us back to Earth? We’ve served our purpose and brought him the desired glory." Katsuerested her cheek on her hand. The atmosphere suddenly became a bit tense after she said that.

The group fell silent as their thoughts turned to the future. Their original world, their home planet they had to protect still faced challenges from countless monster invasions. With their newly gained blessed strength, they could bring peace to the world and put the monsters under control.

"He said he can fulfill his promise to us next week." Mashiro made a steeple of his fingers and looked down, feeling a little burdened.

"Next week? That’s not that long, but why do you look like everything’s not okay?" Liu Kang frowned.

"Yeah, you don’t look well. Are you okay?" Nyla noticed Mashiro’s strange behavior, but she took a breath as if preparing for whatever news Mashiro would convey to them.

"He can deliver us to our home planet, but when I asked if he could really get us back to Earth 100%, his voice became a little shaky, conveying uncertainty. He doesn’t have a guarantee, and we might be lost in space even if the Glorious God used the exact same technique that brought us to this world."

What Mashiro conveyed to his comrades came as if their heads had just been doused with a bucket of cold water. They were frozen for a moment, except for Liu Kang and Mashiro, because the news was akin to what they had done leading them to a scam, and empty promise.

"It’s not strange for the sovereign to dispose of the heroes and take back the power he had bestowed after the heroes served their purposes. Team leader, what do you have in mind?" Nyla sighed to regain her composure. She couldn’t think of any solution at the moment, but she felt Mashiro had something in mind.

"We should leave this country, and go to the Terra World after we collected our reward. I can’t risk the uncertainty because our lives are only once." Mashiro shook her head.

"Damn! That God wanted to scam us? Why do we need to wait? He prepared something to dispose of us or something so he doesn’t need to reward us?" Ash Simpson smashed his fist on the table, feeling furious.

He might be stupid, but he could measure people’s worth and intentions with ease. This current situation was clearly not good, and based on what Mashiro said, the Glorious God’s response would only lead them to countless suspicions.

"So, you want us to flee in three days? Forget about the mere mundane rewards. We need to leave today if you truly can’t afford to take the risk." Liu Kang frowned deeper. He had long felt the Glorious God was partially a scammer, and the so-called noble task and promised reward was there only to reassure and tempt them.

"..." Mashiro did consider it. He was grateful Liu Kang was still with them regardless of anything, never trying to backstab his hero party or the like.

As someone he was wary of, he knew Liu Kang’s outlook on life was far different from his, but what Liu Kang said made perfect sense.

Also considering what Nyla and Ash had said, the Glorious God asked them to wait without any explanation, and they were right to be suspicious considering his initial expectations were shattered by the Glorious God’s hesitant answer. At this rate, their only hope was probably Saintess Miko.

As for the promised reward, they didn’t really need it because they would leave the wealth, honor, or title behind once they returned to their home world.

Mashiro discussed it with his six comrades. This meeting was a secret, and they had to come up with a conclusion right away. He also disclosed that Saintess Miko previously hinted them to look for her if the Glorious God couldn’t fulfill his promise. She possessed a futuristic spaceship and had cross-world experiences, and she could help them for sure. Fortunately, everyone’s views on their current situation were more or less the same, and they didn’t want to risk it.

"..." Liu Kang remained silent as he tagged along with the decision-making.

Since so much had happened, he had made peace with Mashiro and the so-called righteous hero wouldn’t question him if he had to kill someone because he only kills the ones who deserve to die.

He had abandoned his early intention to gain power by any means, even if it was demonic, because of Saintess Miko’s threat, but what sealed his decision was because of his contracted demon.

The Demon Queen of Envy recently gained power and the highest position in the Hell Realm. She obtained an extremely powerful backer and support. With that, she single-handedly put many forces under her rule. The God she served couldn’t tolerate the blind slaughter of the innocent, and anyone who tried to challenge her got beaten severely, including the Demon King of Pride, his contracted demon.

The 2nd strongest great demon was handled like a child before an adult. Afterward, the Demon King of Pride was forced to follow her rules and conditions, and since then, he never got an order to sacrifice people ever again.

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’Sigh, so many things ruined my agenda, and I was forced to change my plan again and again... What’s wrong with this world. First that arrogant demon, this jackass, then the Saintess Miko, and then the mysterious God who backed up the Demon Queen of Envy...’ Liu Kang sighed, but he couldn’t help it.

His contracted great demon was 2nd strongest in Hell, but the 4th ranked demoness, the Demon Queen of Envy went high to the 2nd place right away, forcing the Demon King of Pride to 3rd place. The Demon King of Wrath as the strongest simply agreed with her rules and conditions, which saved the Demon King of Wrath in the 1st place.

’My scion, can you slay some bad guys, the stronger ones above 7th Rank ASAP? We need more souls to refine a good weapon and artifact.’ The Demon King of Pride spoke to Liu Kang’s mind.

’Sigh, alright. Give me a new weapon as the price, capitche?’ Liu Kang crossed his arms.

’Why do you sigh a lot every time I speak? It is your honor to serve me. If the Hell Realm had many good souls, I wouldn’t need to appoint a scion in the mortal world.’ The Demon King of Pride scolded his scion dissatisfiedly.

’Alright, alright. So, what are your plans for the Demon Queen of Envy? She ruined many of your plans, and it implicated me massively. Look, I have now truly become the hero of the dark to slay some bad guys in the shadows.’

’Damn, there is no other way! The humiliation she inflicted on me, I will make her pay a thousand times over! I truly wished to kill and devour her flesh and blood, but she became so incredibly strong that it no longer makes sense. We need to find out her source of strength ASAP. Who is the God she serves? Find that out as your side quest.’

’Well, that’s a tough task. Do you think you’re strong enough to challenge a God? That demoness already put your arrogance to rest.’

’What are you talking about, bastard?!’

’Hey, Pride, who are you talking to? Come here and help me out. That witch Envy truly unreasonable to order me around for dangerous task!’

’What the- why did you get Envy’s slave mark? What did you just do to her, Lust?’

’I tried to kill that witch with my traps, schemes, and trickeries, but she countered my plan and caught me. I almost died, but she wanted me alive to serve her for life! God is really unfair! Why did God favor her, instead of me?! I’m far more sexy, beautiful, charming, obedient, and the perfect embodiment of a gorgeous woman!"

’Well... you’re a femme fatale, but also a poisonous woman with no loyalty. Who dares to stick his dick in the crazy? I can understand why Envy is chosen for God’s investment to put Hell Realm under control.’

’Hey, are you open to your intercommunication with your scion? Turn it off now! Oh hell, your human must have heard all of-’

*Bzzt*

The Demon King of Pride immediately closed the communication line with Liu Kang.

"..." Liu Kang held his head, feeling a little dizzy because the connection was closed forcefully.

However, the information he just heard made him so shocked. The 6th strongest Demon Queen of Lust, the demoness who was touted as the most beautiful woman in the Hell Realm got subdued and reduced as Demon Queen of Envy’s slave?!

Fortunately, his contracted great demon only challenged Envy head-on and got beaten severely as a result. If Pride used the same method and dirty schemes as Lust, he didn’t even want to imagine working as the chosen one of the enslaved great demon...

"Hey, Liu Kang. Why are you absent-minded? We’ve decided to leave this night to the Elysion Church. Are you coming with us?" Mashiro called out.

"Alright. Count me in. We’ll leave in the dead of the night." Liu Kang nodded in agreement.

Since they couldn’t trust the Glorious God’s promise, and they didn’t dare to risk the wait, they secretly escaped and left the capital city while everyone was asleep, unknown even to the old monsters and powerhouses in the capital city.