The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1195

The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1195

Chapter 1195
The rainbow slime, having changed its appearance to suit Reina’s tastes, inspected its transformed body and began staring at Davey.
It scanned up and down, comparing its own body to his, then used both index fingers to tug gently at the corners of its mouth, trying to form an expression.
At first, it could only twist its mouth into grotesque shapes a far distance from smiles. Nonetheless, it eventually managed to put on an ideal smile. It then proudly showed that smile to Reina.
“
Ah. Aaaah?!
” Naturally, the more it acted like this, the more flustered she became.
She understood better than anyone what it meant for the rainbow slime to take on a new form in front of the person it had recognized as its master.
It always chose the one its master trusted and loved the most.
No one knew how it determined the correct form, but the rainbow slime always transformed into the person that made its master feel the safest and most comfortable.
Out of all the people in Reina’s life, that just had to be Davey.
Considering both her position and Davey’s, there was no way anyone could ignore how awkward the situation had become.
Of course, it was obvious to anyone that it wasn't about romantic feelings.
“N-No! That’s not it! This is all just a misunderstanding!!”
Everyone knew that was the case, yet she couldn’t hide her embarrassment.
“Seriously... it’s not like that!” Her pale cheeks turned bright red. She had no idea how to handle the overwhelming shame and embarrassment.
Davey quickly started thinking, trying to find a way to help her save face. “It’s fine, I know what it means. Still... thanks.”
He knew she just needed a bit of consideration, nothing else.
“T-That’s...”
However, it seemed his attempt didn’t help her much at all.
The way her face turned even redder made it look less like he was being considerate, and more like he was teasing her as if he understood.
Davey knew she didn’t see him romantically, but rather as family. Even so, the situation made things awkward in its own way, stirring up a faint suspicion of ‘what if.’
Meanwhile, the clueless slime continued with its single-minded, instinctive behavior.
The rainbow slime, now in the appearance of Davey, quietly approached the flustered Reina and pulled her into a hug, then gently licked her cheek.
It was the kind of affectionate gesture a puppy might make toward its owner, so there was nothing inherently wrong with it. However, given that the slime’s form looked exactly like Davey, the entire scene became incredibly awkward.
“
Ugh.
” In the end, Reina couldn’t stand the awkwardness any longer. Hugging the slime that was now back in its original form, she turned and ran away.
Those left watching could only stare at her retreating figure in silence.
* * *
After Evangeline’s sudden streak of good luck, Moderation had pushed himself to find Davey because of worry. What he hadn't expected was the overwhelming hospitality he was receiving after arrival.
“It’s all ready.”
“
Ah.
Y-yes. T-Thank you.”
“Is there anything else you need?”
“
Ah...
N-No! I’m fine!”
There were only so many people living an ordinary human life who were treated like this.
“
Ummm.
What’s the purpose of—?”
“It was His Highness’s command. Please don’t feel burdened, just enjoy yourself.” The beastfolk girl with pointed ears gently massaged his firm back. “This is a special type of fragrance used by nobles. When applied, it gets absorbed and makes your entire body smell pleasant. It’s a pretty high-end product.”
“
Ah.
A-Are you sure it’s okay to use something so expensive on me?”
“Of course! You’re Miss Evangeline’s dearest friend, after all. There mustn’t be any discomfort in how we treat you.”
‘Ah. Mom, your son has finally made it.’
He then wondered if his experience was what living in the upper class life, as seen in dramas, felt like.
It wasn’t long before the beastfolk maids stepped away, and an elderly man appeared. “I am Bernile, the Royal Attendant of Heins. I warmly welcome you to the young lady’s villa.”
“
Ah!
Thank you very much...” When Moderation, formally Park Seung-Hun, awkwardly bowed in greeting, he met Bernile’s sharp gaze.
He flinched, wondering if he had come off as spineless, but Bernile soon relaxed his expression and let out a soft chuckle. “Forgive me. My face tends to make it look like I’m always glaring.”
“
Ah...
No! It’s totally fine.”
“Dinner is ready. Please join us.”
“
Ah.
I-I mean, but I’m only dressed like this...”
“It’s no issue. Tionis etiquette applies only in Tionis, so there’s no reason to impose it on a friend of the young lady. Come now, His Highness is waiting.”
Park Seung-Hyun nodded reluctantly and followed his lead.
The place he was led to had a massive doorway.
“This is...?”
“A portal leading to Heins Territory. It’s similar to the one His Highness placed on Earth.”
He had no idea what that meant, but it certainly sounded impressive.
Suppressing the urge to comment, he hesitantly stepped through the door. What greeted him wasn’t the grand banquet in an extravagant, antique-style ballroom that he had imagined—it was a drinking party.
“
Hahaha!
First place is mine!” A Middle Eastern prince waved his cards confidently, brimming with pride.
“
Hmm.
This is tough. You both have amazing poker faces...” A literal wizard adjusted his glasses with a pained groan.
Then there was another man, sliding a card forward while arching a brow.
One was the de facto leader of Tionis and, by Earth’s standards, the strongest human alive. Another was a genius magician from the Mage Tower of Tionis.
Park Seung-Hyun had briefly met them both once before, at Evangeline’s surprise party.
The last was a Middle Eastern oil prince, who was one of Earth’s wealthiest individuals.
Each one of them was leagues beyond Park Seung-Hyun in every way imaginable.
There were others as well. An Awakened individual from Japan with the power of prophecy; a hero from America; and a pro gamer. There were people from all sorts of backgrounds, yet none were quite as intimidating as the three in front of him.
Seeing such a crowd naturally made Park Seung-Hyun shrink inward, and anxiety started to creep in.
‘Why was I invited here again...?’
“
Hmm?
You’re here.”
“
Oh,
you’re right. Hey, come join us. Want to play a round?”
“
Ah...
I,
um
...”
“Maybe we should eat first.”
With an eclectic group of people gathered in such a fancy place, Park Seung-Hyun wondered what kind of food they’d eat.
‘Lobster? King crab? Foie gras? Caviar? Wait... do they even eat goose liver or sturgeon eggs in Tionis?’
He racked his brain for some idea, but his imagination came up short.
While he stood frozen in silence, Al Hajat suddenly puffed out his chest. “I won, so let’s eat my pick today!”
“
Hmm.
Sounds good. Let’s do that.”
“I’m fine with it too.”
Watching them decide among themselves made Park Seung-Hyun feel left out. To be precise, he wasn’t really Davey’s friend. He was in a vague, unclear position, and that left him feeling especially awkward.
Davey turned to him with a gentle smile. “Mr. Park Seung-Hyun?”
“Y-Yes?”
“Do you like jjajangmyeon?”[1]
His smile left Park Seung-Hyun momentarily dumbfounded. “Pardon?”
All the grand, luxurious meal options that had filled his head disappeared in an instant.
* * *
It wasn’t the kind of atmosphere Park Seung-Hyun had expected.
Back when he was first invited to Evangeline’s villa, he had seen the kind of setting that nobles might enjoy at a party, and it left him thinking that she really lived in a different world than his own.
No one at the dinner showed the slightest hint of urgency or stress.
While he hadn’t expected to see Si-Woo, the pro gamer who had recently been preparing for retirement, it was clear that each person there was someone remarkable. He’d felt the same way when he saw Hyun-Ah, the woman known as the Princess of the Sacred Group.
That was why the dinner party was a difficult place for him to be. Just coming there had taken no small amount of resolve.
Davey casually rubbed his chopsticks together and spoke in a relaxed tone, “If you wait too long, it won’t taste good. Dig in.”
There wasn’t a trace of the noble aura or world-class hero image he usually gave off. All Park Seung-Hyun felt from him was just simple, unpretentious warmth.
“
Oh,
do you prefer jambbong? Or fried rice?”
“
Ah...
No! I’m fine! I really like jjajangmyeon.”
“I like jambbong more, but what can ya do? Too bad the winner turned out to be that guy.”
“
Haha.
If you don’t like it, just win next time,” Al Hajat replied mirthfully.
Yulis, eating his jjajangmyeon with curiosity, expressed a bit of disappointment but nonetheless slurped the noodles down.
Watching the scene in a daze, one particular thing came to Park Seung-Hyun’s mind.
‘They’re incredibly down-to-earth.’
Being quick-witted, he had picked up on it right away. Those present weren’t anything like the uptight upper-class elites he had imagined, much like how someone’s appearance didn’t always match their personality.
What had felt like an uncomfortable meal began feeling easier to get through.
“
Oh,
have some cola. This place has some good cola.”
When Davey handed him a can of cola, he gave an awkward smile.
“What’s wrong? Feel pressured?”
“Well... kind of, actually.”
“
Hmm.
See? I told you this wouldn’t work.”
“
Hmm.
We went with something casual so he wouldn’t feel overwhelmed, but I guess it’s still tough.”
Seeing Al Hajat’s smile, Park Seung-Hyun quickly waved his hands. “N-No! It’s really fine!”
“Then how about picking something yourself?”
“
Huh?
”
“This won’t be enough to fill us up anyway, so let’s play a game. Whoever wins decides what to eat next.” He held out a deck of cards. “Blackjack. We go ten rounds, and the one with the highest number of chips at the end gets to choose.”
Moderation gave an awkward laugh at the suggestion. Still, he was certain that the folks there were trying their best to make him feel at ease.
‘Yeah. Come on, Park Seung-Hyun. Time to stop being intimidated.’
He accepted the cards Davey handed him. “Should I go ahead and shuffle?”
When it came to luck, he tended to be fairly fortunate, so he figured it wouldn’t be so bad to join in for a bit.
* * *
Park Seung-Hyun used his trademark luck to sweep them, stacking victory after victory.
“
Ah!
Damn, I busted again...”
“My chips are too low. I should’ve just taken the hit...”
On the other hand, Al Hajat, Davey, and the mage named Yulis were all suffering from ridiculously bad luck. They were losing so badly that it was almost impressive. It was as if they had sold their souls in a past life.
It was often said that nothing brought people closer than playing games together. Before he knew it, Seung-Hyun found himself chatting casually with the three of them, their unpretentious attitudes just surprising him more than anything.
‘So what if they’re the strongest in the world, or royalty from the Middle East? In the end, they’re just people too.’
That thought crossed his mind as he continued playing.
“
Ummm.
Actually, the reason I came was because of Evangeline and Reina...”
However, he made a mistake.
The moment he said that, the atmosphere around Davey shifted. “Evangeline? Reina?”
At the same time, Yulis and Al Hajat also radiated an undeniable aura of professional experience and charisma.
The air turned stifling as Davey asked, “Why did you come to find Evangeline?”
The question was polite—the tone was not.
“Don’t tell me... you had other intentions toward her or something...”
“
Ahem!
” Yulis cleared his throat awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable.
“It’s fine, Yulis. Winley chose to marry you because she liked you, and I never had any intention of scolding you over that.”
“Well, I... That’s not what I’m saying... And Davey, you went too far. I nearly died on my wedding day.”
“Well, whose fault is it for getting ahead of themselves with someone else’s precious little sister? And come on, you know people don’t die that easily.”
The exchange was short and casual, yet every word made Seung-Hyun feel like his hair was standing on end.
‘Calm down. You're not here to say anything weird.’
He forced himself to focus and spoke up, “I just noticed that Evangeline’s been incredibly lucky lately, and I thought it might be because of that slime.”
“That’s right. I’m actually kind of jealous of that daughter of mine. I wish I had one by my side too, but it’s not that easy.”
“Are you sure everything’s alright with it? There are no side effects?”
Facing his question, Davey paused for a moment.
There were countless possible responses, such as why do you care; how is that any of your business; or why are you sticking your nose in other people’s business.
Still, Seung-Hyun didn’t back down.
Evangeline was like a cute little sister to him. Even if he couldn’t actually do anything for her if something went wrong, he knew it’d still bother him if he didn’t say anything.
As he tried to suppress that thought, after a brief moment of consideration, Davey simply shrugged.
“There shouldn’t be any problems. She’s been so lucky because that slime’s just a bit special, that’s all.”
“Then I’m glad to hear that.”
If that was true, then it really was a relief. The original reason he’d come ended up feeling pointless, but perhaps that was for the best.
“I just wanted to say I appreciate you... for always taking such good care of Evangeline.” Davey smiled gently. “Thank you.”
“
Ah!
No, I didn’t really do anything.”
“Is there anything you want?”
Seung-Hyun swallowed hard.
One was the strongest man in the world, another was the richest prince in the Middle East, and the last was a renowned young mage.
They were people with the power to make almost anything happen, if they chose to.
So, gathering his courage, he opened his mouth to speak.
1. Jjajangmyeon is a popular Korean-Chinese noodle dish featuring thick wheat noodles topped with a rich, savory black bean sauce that gives it a distinct dark color as well as a sweet, salty, and umami flavor. ☜

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Chapter 1195