The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1153

The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1153

Chapter 1153
Davey showed the demon Arita what she wanted, making sure to tell her what she needed to do going forward before sending her back.
She had wanted to see for herself what kind of beings humans were, and Davey helped her understand them. She was able to reasonably comprehend that humans were ultimately the same as demons, differing only in physical racial traits.
Sure, demons may have had the slight edge in terms of inherent power, but there were plenty of strong humans as well. Apart from horns and slightly different ear shapes, the two weren’t too different from one another.
Arita nonetheless felt her worldview become confused.
* * *
Super Ribbon went to see Davey through the small rift connecting Hyun-Ah’s house to the lord’s manor in Heins Territory.
Illyna had temporarily stepped away to answer the Last Wisp’s summons, and Perserque had gone to the Divine Tree to receive the World Tree Al’s blessing. Presented with the sudden opportunity for some one-on-one time, Davey planned to take a trip with Aeria.
“Father,” a soft voice spoke up.
“
Hmm?
”
“I... I want to work part-time.”
Faced with her sudden request, Davey stopped adjusting Aeria’s shawl and turned to face her. “Work part-time? Doing what?”
“I’m thinking about working at a small cafe,” she shyly answered.
“Why?”
Even if most might assume money to be the primary motivator, Davey knew that such a thing wouldn’t be a problem at all. While Davey had forbidden wasteful spending for his kids, he hadn’t been strict enough to stop them from doing anything they found to be meaningful.
“It's a good life experience. It’ll also give me a chance to learn more about Earth’s culture.” She briefly averted her gaze. “Just...”
While there seemed to be a deeper reason she was keeping from him, he believed that it wasn’t a parent’s place to pry that deeply. After all, even though Super Ribbon was a sword, she still had her own ego.
He nodded. “Alright.”
“
Huh?
” Her eyes widened at Davey’s prompt approval.
“However, if it ends up interfering with your studies, I won’t let it continue.”
“I—I can manage both, I swear!”
Seeing her brighten and shout with excitement, he smiled softly. “I still have my own condition to give.”
“A condition?”
“Take Reina with you. Also, call me Royal Father.”
She immediately flinched, clearly incredibly embarrassed at the idea of calling him by that title.
“What? You won’t? Alright, I guess no part-time job then...”
“
Ah!
Royal Father!” she shouted hurriedly, and he nodded with satisfaction.
Only hearing it now and then was more delightful than hearing it all the time. When Davey turned with pride to show off to Aeria, she gave a slight pout.
Glancing at Super Ribbon, she began, “
Ummmm.
Super Ribbon.”
“Yes, Mother?”
“Could you... could you call me Royal Mother as well?”
Super Ribbon stared at her blankly for a moment before lowering her reddened face once more. She looked even more embarrassed than the first time. Davey decided to leave the two of them alone to tease Super Ribbon a little.
He eventually came to a stop and stared at the two heinous culprits he’d only recently subdued, both clearly tired and unhappy.
“Well, well, well. If it isn't Yuria and Rinne. While I’m away, you’re going to help Amy manage the territory properly.”
Yuria gave a deep scowl, her face full of dissatisfaction. “Gracious Savior, this is seriously too much.”
“Well that's simply how it is. You’re just paying for your karma.”
“Still, how could you eat the seasoning I spent five years perfecting right in front of me?!”
“You’ve got more stashed away, don’t you?”
She was stunned speechless at the admittedly accurate accusation.
“Want me to eat that too?”
Yuria puffed out her cheeks in response.
“I was going to ask the Time Spirit Altair to help out instead, but it seems like you have an attitude problem!”
“
Ah!
No, Gracious Savior, it's not true!”
“
Ha!
Too little, too late!”
Yuria fumed at his response. However, she had no one to blame but herself.
Davey gave her a look from the corner of his eye.
‘Sorry, kids, but I’m not done being mad yet.’
* * *
If one were to ask around at the border region of the Lyndis Empire, they would quickly realize that Grand Duke Kathryn, known as the Fire Fox of the Empire, was in fact a living legend.
If it weren’t for those monsters at Heins Territory, she would’ve ranked among the continent’s strongest individuals. Her power alone had the capacity to turn the tide of war, making her no different from a strategic nuclear weapon. Her mastery of martial arts and swordsmanship was well-known and even sung by minstrels all over.
Typically, people with her level of strength would become arrogant, but she was an exception.
“Welcome. Thank you very much for visiting us.” A young man in a black suit bowed his head with a tired expression. Giving a weary smile, he continued, “Well met, Princess Aeria and Prince Davey O’Rowane. Or should I say Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, soon enough?”
The concern and worry behind his words was unmistakable.
The couple was publicly well-known to share a strong and affectionate bond.
“My wife has been waiting for Your Highness for a long time,” the man informed them.
During the past twisting of the world’s laws, Kathryn’s personality had also become distorted. It had taken considerable effort to restore her, yet a significant portion of her memories had been erased in the process.
Unfortunately, the scope of memories lost spanned entire years, not just fleeting moments. Since Davey had only known her for about three years, all memories of their encounter had likely been erased, so she’d practically be meeting him for the first time.
Still, Davey couldn’t be certain since the deterioration of her memory was still an ongoing process. He hoped that her memories had finally settled, no longer fading. Even then, perhaps not entirely, but to a certain degree.
“How’s she doing?” Davey asked with concern. “I haven’t forgotten the kindness you showed my wife by treating her.”
“No need to dwell on that.”
“
Ummm.
The Grand Duchess...” Aeria spoke softly.
“
Ah!
Yes, I’ll take you to her right away.”
When he turned his head with a bitter smile, her face grew solemn. It was easy to tell that Grand Duchess Kathryn was a very important figure to her.
He led them to her bedroom. “She’s in here. Please share as many of your shared memories with her as you can.”
For him to ask for as much as possible, the one request clearly carried a deep sense of sorrow.
“
Oh?
Greetings, Your Highness.”
Once they opened the door, they saw a woman in a pretty dress sitting in a chair and reading a book. Head topped with fiery-colored hair, she looked perfectly fine and healthy on the outside.
“And this is...” She paused mid-sentence, frowning slightly. “
Ah!
You must be Prince Davey O’Rowane, who married Her Highness.”
In the end, a large portion of her memories had indeed been lost. Davey assumed she likely wouldn’t be able to continue the same life she once had.
“My wife has lost all memories up until just before Your Highness cured her illness. Nonetheless, her journal was filled with stories of you two, so she must’ve been looking forward to this ever since coming back,” her husband choked out, doing his best to suppress his tears.
Kathryn smiled faintly at him. It was the same expression one would expect to have when thinking of her husband, an expression not easily seen. It was a fortunate sign that her emotions hadn’t been completely twisted.
“How much of her memory is gone?”
“About three years. Everything since she first met you is gone.”
Davey paused for a few moments to consider the implications. “It’s been a while since we last saw each other, Grand Duchess.”
“Is that so? I don’t have any memories of you, but according to my journal, we had quite the deep connection.”
“Yes. We went through a lot together.”
“Is there truly no way to restore my memory, Your Highness?”
“The opportunity was granted, but the associated price had to be paid.” Since Davey was certain, he couldn’t help but be firm to save her feelings.
She had indeed completely lost all of those memories, forever.
“That's... unfortunate.” She chuckled softly.
Aeria, who stood by Davey’s side, trembled and finally began to shed tears.
“
Ah... Ah...
Grand Duchess.” She ran forward in tears and embraced Kathryn tightly. Davey didn’t stop her.
“
Ah,
Your Highness has become even more beautiful.”
“Kathryn...”
“I’m alright, dear. It’s just a few years of memories, after all. It’s not like I can’t go on living without them. While it may be sad, I seem to have kept writing in my journal pretty diligently over the past few years, so I’ve been piecing things together little by little.”
“
Sniff.
I should’ve come sooner...” Aeria regretfully sobbed.
“
Oh,
come on now, I said I’m fine,” Kathryn reassured her.
“I'll visit more often from now on, Grand Duchess, I swear.”
Kathryn’s expression softened further at her declaration.
“Still. I’m relieved to see that Your Highness has recovered from your illness.”
As Kathryn comforted Aeria in her arms, Davey quietly stepped away and left the room with her husband. After all, the one Kathryn most wanted to see was Aeria, the one she’d pledged her loyalty to.
The two spoke for about an hour before parting. Once Aeria finally came out of the room, she could still be seen crying. Davey looked at her in pitiful silence. She let out short sobs and buried her face in his chest, weeping for a long time.
Davey hadn’t been able to fully restore Evangeline after the event, either. He’d needed to forcibly accelerate her growth to mostly bring her back. There was no way to help everyone else.
All he could do was tell Aeria what a blessing it was that Kathryn had only lost three years of her memory.
* * *
“I... I’m really fine, though.”
“Nope! Father said I absolutely had to bring you with me.”
Hero Reina had brightened considerably ever since settling down in Heins Territory. She spent her time practicing swordsmanship, chatting and playing chess with Perserque, and learning various things from Illyna and Aeria.
Sometimes she’d talk about the parallel world she could no longer return to, or join the others in a little group session where they’d all get together and badmouth Davey whenever he got on their nerves.
She didn’t hold much romantic interest in Davey. The way she followed him instead felt demonstrably close to how one might look up to a parent.
Maybe it was some kind of instinct that was ingrained in her blood. Not quite the same, but close nonetheless.
“Here we are.”
Reina and Super Ribbon looked around with curious gazes, involuntarily drawing public attention just by walking. It couldn’t be helped—their hair colors alone were already enough to stand out. Reina was a celestial, and Super Ribbon had such a striking appearance that one could only imagine she was what Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon would look like once they were both grown.
Both were beings beyond any regular humans, and their mysteriousness only amplified that.
Super Ribbon frowned slightly, glancing at her hair with red and blue strands blended together like highlights. “Does my hair look too rebellious?”
“
Hmm.
I think it’s just pretty,” Reina assured her.
“But I heard this country has a lot of black-haired people, and they tend to judge others for having hair like this.”
“Then should I change mine to black too?”
“
Ugh.
” Super Ribbon shook her head, looking slightly gloomy.
Unlike when she simply visited the library to study, she was there for a part-time job interview. It only made sense that she would be extra careful about looking presentable.
“You have an ID with you, right?”
“Yeah.” Reina glanced at the temporary ID in her hand. The photo showed her with a slightly reluctant expression. “
Whew!
I’m so nervous.”
They arrived at a cozy little cafe, located in a quiet spot not far from the studio where Evangeline did her stream. The location was good, and apparently the pay was decent, too.
Super Ribbon had submitted her resume there offhandedly, not hoping for much. Yet after only a couple of days, a man with a very stiff voice had called, asking her to come in for an interview.
She hesitated at first, knowing the cafe could become her first part-time workplace. Super Ribbon took a deep breath, clearly tense. “He asked me to watch how well you do, but I think I’m just going to cause more trouble coming in like this.”
“
Hehe.
It’s fiiine. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
Reassured, Super Ribbon slowly walked through the automatic door.
A young man making coffee at the counter looked up, eyes widening once he saw her. “
Oh?
”
Recalling how stiff his voice had been on the phone, Super Ribbon cautiously spoke, “
Uhhh.
Hello! I’m the one who called earlier about the part-time position...”
The man hurriedly came out from behind the counter and guided her inside. “
Oh,
welcome! I’ve been waiting for you.”
“
Huh?
”
“You’re hired. Can you start today?”
“
Uhhh.
Yes, I guess I can. But what about the interview...?” she asked with confusion.
“Who cares about interviews? If someone feels right, you hire them. I mean, I’m the boss, so it’s my call anyway.
Hahaha!
”
Hearing his words, her expression relaxed for a moment, as if she had finally let go of her tension.
‘What’s even going on here?’
She hadn’t expected it to go so smoothly. She had braced for a really strict interview, as every interview video she watched had been pretty stressful. Worried about making a mistake, she had even studied up on the cafe just to be sure.
Thus, the easygoing attitude of the owner left her a little thrown off.
“
Haha.
Can I speak casually then? Since I’m the boss and all.”
“
Oh,
sure! Whatever’s comfortable for you.”
“
Whew!
I was nervous. Alright, welcome aboard. We’ll go over pay and working conditions in a bit. That girl with you, is she a friend?”
Super Ribbon glanced over at Reina and introduced her, “This is my sister, Reina. We may not be blood-related, but she’s really important to me. My father asked her to come along.”
Reina bowed her head slightly, looking very tense. “I’m Reina.”
“I’m Jung Ju-Seok, the owner of this cafe. Nice to meet you.”
As the mood turned awkward, almost as if the two were on a blind date, Reina gave Super Ribbon an uncomfortable look.
‘Super Ribbon, do something.’
Sensing her cue, her eyes sparkled. “
Um,
Mr. Jung? Would it be possible for Reina to work part-time here as well?”
His eyes lit up. As a businessman, there was no way he’d pass up such a golden opportunity!
“Absolutely! Of course! Shall we sign the contracts right now?”
He hurried into the back room before returning with a stack of documents, then led them to a table and handed both of them a form.
“I’ve already looked over what you wrote on your resumes, so I won’t bother with too many questions. You’re not Korean anyway, right?”
“
Ah.
Yes.”
Everything moved so smoothly that it almost felt questionable, but the owner looked more thrilled than concerned.
“Alright! We’ve got a few spare uniforms, so you can try those on for now. One of our previous staff quit recently, so I’ve been working here alone. I’ll handle the little stuff, so can I ask both of you to directly attend to the customers we get?”
“Yes.”
The owner looked at Super Ribbon and her bright smile like he had just won the lottery. He then turned and muttered under his breath, “This’ll be great for promotion.”
There was no way Super Ribbon and Reina hadn’t heard him say it, but neither bothered to react. Instead, they looked over their beige uniforms.
“
Ummm
. Mr. Jung?”
“
Hm?
What is it, Reina?”
“I’m sorry, but do you have a larger size available?”
The owner stared blankly at Reina for a moment. Despite her petite frame, the uniform was way too constrictive in certain areas.
“
Ah.
Sorry, that was inconsiderate of me. Could you wear that one for now, just for today?”
“
Hmm.
But it’s just a bit tight...”
“I’ll have a new one fixed by tomorrow.
Ah!
The staff room is back there.” He pointed to a room in the back, and the two girls nodded before entering on their own, quickly changing and stepping out.
Ding!
The doorbell chimed and a customer entered, then the owner, sensing an opportunity, turned to his two new recruits.
“Alright, I’ll show you how it’s done. Watch closely.” He cleared his throat. “Welcome! What can I get for you today?”
The owner flashed a bright, customer-friendly smile as he greeted the incoming guest. However, the customer just stood there, staring dazedly at Reina and Super Ribbon.
Even at a glance, one could tell he was a strikingly handsome man, probably in his mid- to late twenties. He was also tall, to boot.
“
Ummm.
Hello. Sir?”
“Y-Yeah...?
Oh!
Uh
, I’ll have an Americano, please.” Startled, the young man spoke awkwardly, holding a small tablet in his hand.
The owner, clearly expecting his reaction, chuckled and rang up the order before skillfully preparing the coffee and handing it to Super Ribbon.
“Here. Want to try serving it, Super Ribbon?”
“Yes! I’ll give it a shot.”
When she smiled brightly, the owner smirked in satisfaction and murmured, “Man, I must’ve done something right in my past life to be blessed like this!”
Though she gave him a puzzled look, he didn’t elaborate.
Super Ribbon looked at the neatly prepared coffee cup, then turned to the timid young man and smiled warmly.
“Here’s your Americano!”
The man blinked, tilting his head. “
Huh?
Your voice...”
“Pardon?”
“
Ah!
It’s nothing.”
Super Ribbon and Reina had never revealed their faces publicly, yet there was something about their voices that rang a bell in the customer’s head. Unfortunately for Super Ribbon, the customer happened to be someone very familiar with her voice.
“
Um.
Miss... is your name perhaps—”
“Sir, I’m sorry. We ask that customers refrain from asking our staff personal questions,” the owner cut in, still smiling professionally.
The young man looked back and forth between Super Ribbon and the owner with a somewhat disgruntled expression before giving a reluctant nod. After taking a seat and turning on his tablet, he began to type away.
The following moment, a comment was posted in an online community.
[LOL I found the cafe she’s working at. Jealous? She’s even more stunning in person :D Went in for an americano and came out with eye candy.]
It was a rage-baiting clickbait, no doubt. Normally, it would’ve been ignored as such.
However, not this time. Replies came flooding in.
[Moderation, you fucking bastard, you went alone, huh?]
[Explain yourself! Explain the collab with Evangeline.]
[You’re]
[Canceled]
[You’re]
[Canceled]
[So how was she? We’ve never officially seen her face on stream, but I’ve been super curious since she’s the Saint of Tionis’s eldest daughter.]
[Wait, her name’s Super Ribbon? What kind of saintly name is that, LMAO.]
[Careful, or you’ll get canceled too.]
[Cough, cough I ain’t heard shit.]
[So, what is Moderation even doing right now? First not streaming, and now sneaking off to a cafe? Living his best life, huh?]
[So... is she pretty?
Huh? Is she?]
[Come on. Just say it. Is she pretty or not?]
The endless replies were just the beginning.
Sure, one could argue that she wasn’t even a streamer, so it was fair to question how viral a faceless voice could really get online. However, the thing was that Super Ribbon was already famous. Rumors had long been circulating that she was a stunning beauty, studying hard to enroll officially at Korea University. As the rumors snowballed, her reputation as a breathtakingly beautiful girl only grew.
Naturally, those who had seen streams mentioning her were all incredibly curious. To make matters worse, the one who fueled the flame—practically dousing it with gasoline—was none other than the streamer Moderation himself.
[Seriously, I think my standards for female attractiveness just rose. And who was it? Reina? Yeah, there was another girl too. Jealous yet? LOLS]
His light provocation triggered a storm of rage in his community. They flocked to Evangeline’s channel, absurdly demanding an explanation.
Alas, not a single one of them realized that Evangeline was in a terrible mood at that moment. The horns growing from her head had only just torn through her bed sheets, disturbing her sleep.

.
!
Chapter 1153